Details emerge from explosives incident near RAF base in Britain: five arrested, 85 families evacuated

British police have arrested five people suspected of serious explosives offences following a “major incident” near a Royal Air Force (RAF) base, after local residents were evacuated from their homes.

“A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident,” Gloucestershire Police said in a statement on Sunday morning, adding that a specialist army bomb-disposal team was examining several vehicles.

“A cordon is currently in place, but we would like to reassure people that we believe this incident is under control. We are working closely with our partners and implementing the well-rehearsed plans we have in place,” the police added.

In a later update during the day, Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said police had received a report overnight of three suspicious vehicles heading toward RAF Fairford at around 00:45 on Sunday.

Armed officers responded to the scene and arrested five men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act, Ocone said, adding that the suspects remained in custody.

A 400-metre cordon has been set up around the vehicles while the army team continues its examinations. Around 85 families have been advised to evacuate while the process continues, Ocone said.

Whelford is located near RAF Fairford, a military air base that hosts the United States Air Forces.

According to the USAF, the base is home to the 501st Combat Support Wing headquarters and the 420th Air Base Squadron, and also serves as the USAF Global Strike Command’s “preferred operating location for bombers in Europe.”

In July, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a warning to the United Kingdom against allowing the U.S. to operate bombers from RAF Fairford air base.

“Any base used to invade Iranian territory is our legitimate target,” the IRGC said in a statement published by the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim, adding that the United States had “switched to using B1 aircraft flying from Fairford Air Base, England.”