British police arrested five men on Sunday following a "major incident" near an RAF base that saw local residents 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 an army specialist explosive ordnance disposal team was examining multiple vehicles.
"A cordon is currently in place but we’d like to reassure people that we believe this incident is contained. We are working closely with our partners and are enacting the well-rehearsed plans we have in place," the force added.
In an update later in the day, Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said police had received a report overnight of three suspicious vehicles heading towards RAF Fairford at around 12:45 am on Sunday.
Armed officers responded to the scene and arrested five men on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act, he said, adding that the suspects remained in custody.
The Metropolitan Police force has announced that the five individuals have been further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act and that counter terrorism police are now leading the investigation into the incident.
A 400-metre cordon has also been set up around the vehicles while the army team carries out examinations, with around 85 households advised to evacuate as this process goes on, police said.
Whelford is close to RAF Fairford, a military air base that hosts the United States Air Force.
According to the USAF, the base is home to the 501st Combat Support Wing Headquarters and the 420th Air Base Squadron while also serving as the "preferred bomber forward operating location in Europe for USAF Global Strike Command."
In July, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, or IRGC, issued a warning to the UK against allowing the US to operate bombers from RAF Fairford.
"Any base that is used to invade Iran's territory is our legitimate goal," the IRGC said in a statement shared by Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, adding that the US had "switched to using B1 planes flying from Fairford Air Base, England."
