The United States military moved aircraft out of RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, eastern England, on Monday, 9 November 2026, after a threat from Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Two US refuelling tankers using the base diverted to Germany on Monday morning, and several other tankers at RAF Mildenhall were moved to Germany and other locations later in the day, according to the report.
The US also raised the security posture at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath to Force Protection Condition (FPCON) Charlie, the second-highest defensive threat level, which applies when intelligence indicates a terrorist action is likely.
The precise nature of the threat to RAF Mildenhall remains under discussion among US officials, the Journal reported.
The move makes RAF Mildenhall the second UK base from which the US has removed aircraft in recent weeks. Weeks earlier, the US removed B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford after a suspected Iran-linked security incident in September, when five men were arrested outside the base and two others were later arrested on suspicion of assisting Iranian intelligence. RAF Fairford had been used by US bombers that carried out strikes on Iran.
US European Command declined to comment on specific aircraft movements.
