US air force responds to suspected drone activity over UK airbase

US ​air force personnel at ​the RAF Lakenheath base ‌in Britain ​responded to "suspected unauthorised drone activity" on Friday evening, although no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure ‌were affected, a US air force spokesperson said.

"We continue to work closely with our host nation counterparts to ensure the safety and ‌security of our U.S. service members, U.S. and host ‌nation civilians, contractors, and all of our families," the spokesperson added. The British Ministry of Defence was not immediately available for comment.

The US has in ⁠recent weeks ​moved bombers ⁠that had been used to strike Iran out of Britain, and switched ⁠huge refuelling aircraft from Britain to Germany. The bombers left RAF Fairford ​on security grounds after a group of men approached the ⁠base in white vans in the middle of the night.

Two men were charged ⁠last ​month in relation to that incident, with prosecutors alleging one of them had tried to assist Iranian intelligence in ⁠Britain. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the refuelling aircraft were ⁠moved due ⁠to a threat from Iran.