In an interview with Fox News, Rubio stated that what happened in the vicinity of RAF Fairford represents a serious situation for the United States and the United Kingdom
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, also referred to the case and expressed his surprise at the British authorities' decision to release the five detainees on bail.
“I am surprised they were released,” Trump stated, adding: “I wouldn’t have done it”.
One day earlier, the president had indicated that the suspects had been under investigation for some time and maintained that “they were looking to cause great harm to our stronghold.” He later suggested that the episode “could be” related to Iran, although he did not present any public evidence to support that hypothesis.
Rubio also mentioned threats against U.S. interests internationally and specifically pointed to Iran. “We will always take that very seriously. There will be repercussions for it if it ever occurred or even if it were attempted,” he stated.
In response to speculation about a possible Iranian connection, the Iranian embassy in London categorically denied any involvement. Through X, it described the claims linking Tehran to the incident as “baseless and malicious.”
RAF Fairford also has strategic importance for U.S. operations. The UK authorized the use of the facility by the United States in March for specific defensive operations against Iran, including actions aimed at destroying Iranian missiles at their origin.
Since then, bombers and other U.S. aircraft have been observed operating from the base.
The investigation continues under the direction of the British Anti-Terrorism Police. Rubio indicated that more details will be known in the coming days and emphasized that there are limits on the information that Washington can make public at this time.
“There will be much more news coming out about this in the coming days,” stated the Secretary of State.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, described the threat recorded over the weekend near the British airbase RAF Fairford as “very serious”, a facility used by U.S. forces. The official stated that the incident “clearly” involved a foreign actor, although he avoided revealing their identity.
Rubio also highlighted the cooperation of British authorities and anticipated that there will be new information about the case in the coming days. His statements came after five men were arrested near the military facility and subsequently released under strict bail conditions.
In an interview with Fox News, Rubio maintained that what occurred in the vicinity of RAF Fairford represents a serious situation for both the United States and the United Kingdom. “What happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation,” he stated.
The Secretary of State added that the episode “clearly” involves a foreign actor, although he emphasized that he could not yet provide further details about who might be behind the operation.
The British Anti-Terrorism Police are investigating five men, all British citizens residing in London and around 20 years old, for alleged offenses related to explosives and the preparation of a terrorist act.
The suspects were arrested after authorities received reports about three white vans considered suspicious in the vicinity of RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire.
The vehicles were inspected with the support of military personnel and forensic specialists. Additionally, during the early hours of Sunday, about 85 homes in a nearby town were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The head of the British anti-terrorism unit, Laurence Taylor, clarified that the release of the five detainees does not mean that the investigation has ended. Investigators are analyzing various hypotheses, including the possibility that those involved acted as intermediaries or on behalf of a foreign state, whether knowingly or not.
British media later reported that the materials found in the vans did not constitute viable explosives. However, authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the exact nature of the threat.
