All of the American bombers that had been stationed at RAF Fairford in England have been sent back to the US, the Pentagon announced on Sunday, a week after five men were arrested outside the base.
The US military had been using the base in Gloucestershire as a launchpad for B-1B heavy bombers during the war with Iran.
Five British men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act and explosives offences after they were seen by a member of the public near RAF Fairford in the early hours of September 27.
"While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States," a Defence Department official said in a statement.
The official added that the crews who operate America’s bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s and B-52s, remain "ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, any time."
On Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested that there were "strong indications" Iran may have been behind last week's incident. The five men arrested near the perimeter of the base have since been released on bail.
British police said a sixth man, an Iranian UK dual citizen, had been arrested in central London on Thursday in connection with the suspected plot to attack the US airbase in the Cotswolds.
