US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a press gaggle after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, on September 23, 2026. (Photo by Yuki Iwamura / POOL / AFP)
US' Rubio alleges 'foreign actor' involved in UK plot
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford "clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor".
- UK counterterrorism police released five British men on bail while investigating potential state-backed involvement.
- Both US officials and British police are probing potential ties to Iran, which previously issued threats against US overseas interests.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that a suspected weekend plot near a British military base host to US forces involved "the hands of a foreign actor."
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Rubio designated the weekend incident as "a very serious situation" and indicated that additional details regarding suspected foreign state involvement could be disclosed in the coming days.
"There’s some things I cannot say on the air for a lot of different reasons," Rubio stated. "Suffice it to say that what happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation. It’s one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor."
Rubio's remarks follow the detention of five men near Royal Air Force Fairford in Gloucestershire on Sunday by British counterterrorism police.
The suspects -all British nationals from London in their early 20s- were taken into custody after local law enforcement was alerted by a farmer who observed three white vans driving toward the military installation.
On Monday, British police confirmed they were actively investigating whether the individuals were operating on behalf of a foreign state. The five suspects were later released on bail as counterterrorism detectives continue their inquiries.
RAF Fairford is owned by the Royal Air Force but hosts US military personnel and heavy bomber aircraft involved in regional operations.
US commends UK authorities
Rubio commended British law enforcement and security services for their coordination with American officials throughout the ongoing investigation.
"I do want to thank the authorities in the United Kingdom, who have been very cooperative and on top of it," Rubio said, confirming that US officials remain in direct contact with British counterparts regarding the arrests and subsequent bail decisions.
Contextualizing the breach within broader national security challenges, Rubio referenced ongoing hostility from foreign adversaries, specifically citing Iran.
"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," Rubio stated. "We’re going to always take that very seriously."
