美国国防部周日晚间确认，所有部署在英国皇家空军费尔福德基地的美军轰炸机均已离开该基地并返回美国。该消息最初由《华尔街日报》报道，并获得美国国防部官方确认。直到最近，仍有12架B-1B“枪骑兵”轰炸机驻扎在费尔福德，美国此前也曾使用这些轰炸机对伊朗实施打击。
The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday evening that all US bombers deployed at the Royal Air Force Fairford base in the UK have left the base and returned to the United States. The original report was published by The Wall Street Journal, which received official confirmation from the US Defense Department. Until recently, twelve B-1B Lancer bombers had been stationed at Fairford, and were also used by the United States during strikes on Iran.“For operational security reasons, we could not confirm the movement of our assets and forces in real time,” the Pentagon said.
“出于作战安全原因，我们无法实时确认我方资产和部队的调动情况，”五角大楼表示。“但我们现在可以确认，所有部署在那里的美军轰炸机均已返回美国本土的母基地。”
“But we can now confirm that all US bombers deployed there have been returned to their home bases in the United States.”
国防部强调，飞机的返航并不意味着其执行远程打击任务的能力丧失，美军仍保持警戒状态，可从美国领土实施“全球打击能力”。英国国防部拒绝就此次部署发表评论。
The Defense Department stressed that the aircraft's return does not eliminate its ability to carry out long-range strike missions, and that it remains on alert to employ “global strike capability” from US territory. The UK Defense Ministry declined to comment on the deployment.
此举发生在嫌疑人因涉嫌密谋袭击费尔福德基地而在该基地附近被捕约一周后。五名年轻的英国公民在该地区被捕，另一名持有英伊双重国籍的嫌疑人随后在伦敦被捕。
The move comes about a week after suspects were arrested near Fairford over an alleged plot targeting the base. Five young British nationals were arrested in the area, and another suspect, who holds British and Iranian citizenship, was later arrested in London.
嫌疑人目前已获保释，但英国方面的调查仍在继续。警方表示，他们也在调查外国政府介入的可能性，但尚未公开断定伊朗是该事件的幕后黑手。
美方据称知晓伊朗针对费尔福德美军的阴谋据《华尔街日报》报道，美国情报官员掌握有关伊朗相关势力密谋袭击费尔福德基地轰炸机和美军人员的情报。
The suspects were released on bail, but the British investigation is continuing. Police said they are also examining the possibility of foreign state involvement, but have not publicly concluded that Iran was behind the incident.US allegedly knew of Iranian plot against US forces in FairfordAccording to The Wall Street Journal, US intelligence officials had information about an Iran-linked plot to target bombers and US military personnel at Fairford.
一位美国高级官员告诉该报，一名与伊斯兰革命卫队有关联的个人招募了英国公民实施该行动，据称该行动包含多个阶段以及在基地附近的佯攻行动。
A senior US official told the newspaper that an individual linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recruited British citizens to carry out the operation, which allegedly involved several stages and a diversionary action near the base.
英国当局并未将美方的指控作为官方认定，一些英国官员对该阴谋被赋予的复杂程度表示质疑。
The US allegation has not been adopted as an official finding by British authorities, and some UK officials have questioned the level of sophistication attributed to the plot.
格洛斯特郡的费尔福德在与伊朗的战争期间成为美军轰炸机的关键前沿基地。B-1和B-52飞机于3月部署在那里，并从该基地发起了针对伊朗的打击任务。
Fairford, in Gloucestershire, became a key forward base for US bombers during the war with Iran. B-1 and B-52 aircraft were deployed there in March, and strike missions against Iran were launched from the base.
在该基地被用于那些行动后，伊朗革命卫队官员警告称，支持美军打击的设施可能被视为合法目标。
Following the base's use in those operations, IRGC officials warned that facilities supporting US strikes could be considered legitimate targets.