Iranian-linked bomb plot foiled near RAF Fairford after suspicious van spotted

A suspicious van parked close to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire prompted a local farmer to call emergency services, leading police to intercept three white vans carrying five men and a cache of explosives. The van displayed a counterfeit “Fuel 2You” logo in red and a phone number spaced in the 434 format, which is typical for Iran, while the genuine company Fuel2U, based in Beaconsfield, uses green and black branding.

Officers arrived about 15 minutes after the 999 call, established a security cordon and used a robot to investigate the vehicles, evacuating over 80 nearby homes. The men were arrested before they could reach the runway used by US forces for strikes against Tehran. Fuel2U issued a statement rejecting any association with the plot and asked the public not to harass its employees. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked the farmer for her tip, and US President Donald Trump praised the joint British-American response.