Five men have been arrested near RAF Fairford in western England on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack against the military air base, which American bombers have been using to strike targets in Iran. President Donald Trump said on Sunday, September 27, that the suspects had been "looking to do big damage" and praised the arrests as "fantastic." British counterterrorism police said the men were taken into custody in the early hours of Sunday after a tip-off that three suspicious vans were traveling toward the airfield. Armed officers made the arrests near the base in Gloucestershire, and the men were first held on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act before also being arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Trump said the suspects had been under investigation by British and American authorities. Police were alerted at about 12:45 a.m. after callers reported three vehicles that appeared to be moving in the direction of RAF Fairford. Armed officers responded and detained five men in the area around the base. Authorities then set up a 400-meter security cordon, and bomb disposal teams moved in to examine the vans. Residents of 85 homes in a nearby village were evacuated as a precaution, and armed officers were seen patrolling the area. "Our investigation is in its early stages, and five men remain in custody," Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said in a statement. She said police were working closely with their partners to understand what happened. Police said they believed the incident was contained. Authorities have not publicly identified the suspects or said exactly what they believe the men intended to do. A source familiar with the investigation said a motive linked to Iran was considered the most likely, while a Russian sabotage operation and an Islamist plot were also being examined. The men were stopped roughly two miles from the base, police said. RAF Fairford is one of the most strategically significant air bases in Britain. It hosts U.S. Air Force personnel and long-range bombers, including B-1B Lancers, and it has been used by the United States to carry out strikes against Iranian targets during the ongoing U.S.-Iran war. The British government has authorized U.S. bombers stationed at Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites that have been threatening commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The arrests come as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to run high. The Trump administration has kept up military pressure on Iran while talks over the Strait of Hormuz have stalled. Trump told reporters on Sunday that the operation with British authorities had gone well. "Working with Britain, it was an amazing job," he said. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the incident "deeply concerning" in a post on X and urged the public not to speculate while the investigation continues. "The safety and security of the public is our first priority," he said, adding that his government would take every step necessary to keep communities safe. Police have said little beyond confirming that the investigation is continuing and that the men remain in custody. Security around military installations is expected to stay elevated as detectives work to determine the full scope of the alleged plot and whether the suspects had help from a wider network.