After B-1 Bombers Pulled from Britain, Rubio Reveals Stance on Washington's Bases

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his country's confidence in the security of all its bases, following the arrest of five people near a British airbase on suspicion of planning terrorist acts.

In response to a question regarding the United States' decision to withdraw its B-1 bombers from the British base, Rubio stated that the US Department of Defense "the Pentagon" continuously redistributes resources wherever they are needed, and that he would not directly link last week's incident to this step.

He added that the British authorities showed great cooperation in the case.

US officials said on Sunday that the United States had withdrawn all its B-1 bombers from the Royal Air Force base in Fairford in the United Kingdom, a decision taken due to security concerns over plots allegedly targeting attacks on the facility.

The decision represents a shift in the stance of the United States, which used the military base located northwest of London as a hub for launching bomber raids against Iran, according to the "Wall Street Journal" newspaper.

Until their recent departure, approximately 12 B-1 bombers were stationed at the base.

A spokesperson for "the Pentagon" said in a statement that "operational security" considerations prevented them from confirming the movements of their equipment and forces in real time, but confirmed that all bombers deployed at RAF Fairford have been redeployed to their home bases within the United States.

According to the same statement, these bombers remain ready to execute global strike capabilities from US territory.

For its part, the British Ministry of Defense did not comment on the US move.

The US decision came after the detention of five suspects in connection with a potential attack on the base, which US and British officials said was thwarted last Sunday.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham pointed to the existence of "strong indications" of Iranian involvement in the incident, which remained shrouded in mystery after Britain released the suspects on bail while the investigation continued.

US officials were aware of an Iran-linked plot to target the bombers and kill personnel at the base, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

British authorities are still trying to uncover the details of the thwarted attack, while some British officials doubt the sophistication of the planned attack.

The British government had previously allowed the United States to use the bombers stationed at Fairford base to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump said those involved in the conspiracy were planning to cause "severe damage," while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also pointed to the "hand of a foreign entity" behind the plot.