Trump on bombers withdrawn from RAF Fairford: “There were some threats”; he holds Iran responsible for the flydubai attack

US President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday, October 5, that American bombers were withdrawn from the British base RAF Fairford because of threats. The Pentagon had confirmed the withdrawal without giving a reason. The same day, Trump said he holds Iran responsible for the attempted attack on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, while Israeli security services assess that the perpetrator acted alone.

Asked by reporters whether there had been a specific threat, Trump replied: “I think we can say that. I mean, they didn’t fly out by accident.” “There were some threats. And rather than tempting the enemy, we’ll capture the enemy and beat the enemy,” he added, as Fox News reported. At another point in his remarks, he said the United States knows who made the threat and that they have a big problem. He did not specify what the threat was or who is behind it.

According to the Wall Street Journal, cited by Fox News, the twelve bombers were moved because of concerns about a complex drone attack ordered by the Revolutionary Guards. Asked, before leaving for Nebraska, whether Iran had brought attack drones into the United Kingdom, Trump replied “I can’t tell you that” and added: “But if they did, they’ll suffer greatly.” He also predicted that the war with Iran would end “very soon”. Vice President JD Vance said the United States is being “extremely cautious” at its bases abroad and described the withdrawal as a precautionary measure to protect American forces.

At Fairford, from where B-1 bombers had been operating in the war with Iran, British counter-terrorism police have been investigating a possible attack plot since late September. Six people were arrested and released on bail, while Tehran denies any involvement.

“I personally do” on flydubai

Asked whether Iran was responsible for the attempted attack of September 30 on a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, Trump replied “I do. I personally do,” without explaining what his assessment is based on. As the Times of Israel notes, Israeli security officials assess that the Omani co-pilot acted alone, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it is too early to attribute responsibility to Tehran, and Vance had said earlier that he had not seen conclusive evidence of Iranian involvement.

Warning on sanctions

The US Treasury Department warned the same day that foreign financial institutions that continue to transact with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions “could be targeted at any time without advance notification”, and called on them to sever those ties immediately. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on X that Iran “loaded zero crude oil onto tankers last month” and that the rial has fallen to a record low. From Tehran, President Masoud Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian state media, that negotiations have “no meaning” with an enemy that “terrorizes, sanctions, pressures and threatens on a daily basis”.

In the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre reported that one more tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile and that a fire had broken out in its engine room; it is the third to be hit in the area within 48 hours. UKMTO said the incident is under investigation and advised vessels to transit with caution.