The Pentagon pulled all of its B-1 bombers from a UK base after a suspected Iranian terrorist plot was reported by the British government earlier in the week.

The supersonic, long-range heavy bombers belonging to the U.S. Air Force were stationed at RAF Fairford air base northwest of London.

“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all U.S. bombers that were deployed to ‌RAF ⁠Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States,” a ‌Pentagon spokesman wrote in an email.

The planes had previously been used for U.S. strikes on Iran. Former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed the United States to use British bases to launch defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites on March 1.

The Pentagon did not provide a reason for the removal of the dozen bombers.

On Sept. 27, British counterterrorism detectives were alerted about three vans that were seen heading toward RAF Fairford. Five men were initially arrested in connection with the security incident but were later released on police bail.

Detectives searched the vans driven by the suspects and found no bombs inside the vehicles. However, they did find flammable materials, National Counter Terrorism Policing stated at the time.

“Those vehicles have been subject to extensive examination, with the support of military assets and forensic experts, and we can confirm that no improvised explosive devices were found,” the agency stated. “However, a quantity of petrol was recovered.”

UK authorities on Oct. 1 arrested another suspect, a 25-year-old dual citizen of the UK and Iran, on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, but he was released two days later.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC on Sept. 30 that there were “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the security incident at RAF Fairford.

Burnham said a complex and serious police investigation into the incident was ongoing, with detectives working closely with their U.S. counterparts.

In a Sept. 28 interview with Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said he believed that a foreign actor was involved in the security incident at RAF Fairford, which he said could have developed into “a very serious situation.”

“I think it ties us to the reality here, and that is, we are dealing with elements in the world—and in the case of Iran, for example—who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally,” he said.

Rubio thanked UK authorities for their cooperation but said many people were disturbed by reports that some of those being investigated had been released on police bail.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly rejected Burnham’s claim.

“I can confirm Iran’s belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all,” Araghchi said in a post on X. “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated in July that RAF Fairford was one of several airbases in the UK that were legitimate targets.

Jill McLaughlin and Reuters contributed to this report.