US Air Force Responds to Drone Activity at Base in UK After Iran Threat - Newsweek

The U.S. Air Force has responded to suspected unauthorized drone activity over RAF Lakenheath in England, days after American military aircraft were relocated from nearby RAF Mildenhall following reports of a threat from Iran.

A U.S. Air Force European Command spokesperson told Newsweek that USAF Security Forces personnel had responded to the activity at Lakenheath, the largest U.S. Air Force base in the United Kingdom with around 7,000 American service personnel, on Friday evening local time.

"No personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected," the spokesperson said.

The Air Force said it was working closely with British counterparts to ensure the safety and security of military personnel, civilians and their families. "Protecting our shared community is a joint responsibility, and we encourage everyone to support this effort by reporting any unusual or suspicious activity to local authorities," the spokesperson said.

The statement comes after reports of air sirens at three bases: Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell.

It remains unclear how many drones were involved in Friday's incident, who operated them, or whether any were intercepted. The U.S. Air Force has not publicly identified a suspect or provided further details about the response.

The incident comes amid heightened security at U.S. military installations in Britain following reports of Iranian threats against American assets.

Newsweek has contacted the U.K. Ministry of Defense for further comment.

RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, eastern England, is one of the most important U.S. Air Force installations in Europe.

The base hosts American fighter aircraft, including F-15E Strike Eagles and F-35A Lightning II jets, and is located just a few miles from RAF Mildenhall.

The latest incident follows unusual military aircraft movements from Mildenhall earlier this week.

On Monday, at least nine U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft and three CV-22 Ospreys departed RAF Mildenhall, according to publicly available flight-tracking data.

The tankers were moved to bases in Germany and Spain, while the Ospreys were relocated to RAF Lakenheath.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the movements were prompted by a threat from Iran, although the precise nature of the threat has not been publicly disclosed.

The U.S. military also reportedly raised security measures at both Mildenhall and Lakenheath to Force Protection Condition Charlie, the second-highest security alert level. This is triggered when intelligence indicates that a form of terrorist action is likely.

Newsweek previously reported on the aircraft movements and the concerns they raised about the security of America's military presence in Europe.

The drone incident comes against a wider backdrop of concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. military installations in Britain.

Earlier this year, American forces withdrew their B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire following a separate security incident near the base.

Five men were arrested in September in connection with the incident. Two British men were subsequently charged under the National Security Act 2023 over allegations connected to an Iranian intelligence operation.

The case is due to be heard at the Old Bailey in London on November 20.

Iran has previously threatened military installations used by American forces, while concerns have grown about the possibility of attacks involving drones and other forms of asymmetric warfare.

This is breaking news, updates to follow.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas