Fire breaks out at RAF Fairford, which played a key role in U.S. military operations against Iraq.

[Global Times Special Correspondent Chen Shan] The BBC reported on April 26 that a large-scale fire suddenly broke out at the RAF Fairford base in the UK early that morning. What particularly drew attention from the outside world is that this airbase had previously been used by the U.S. Air Force as a hub for long-range operations against Iran.

According to reports, local fire departments stated in a statement that they received an emergency call around 2 a.m. local time, and firefighters quickly arrived at the scene. The statement added, "The fire occurred in a single-story industrial warehouse. The fire has been safely controlled, and there are no casualties." The UK fire department indicated that as a precaution, firefighters remained on site throughout the morning. The fire produced thick smoke, prompting local firefighters to warn nearby residents to close their windows and doors. The Daily Telegraph reported that videos shot at night circulating on social media showed what was said to be the base's food and equipment store billowing thick smoke. Other photos from the scene showed that the roof of the building had collapsed while firefighters were controlling the blaze.

The reason this fire has attracted significant attention is that the RAF Fairford base played an important role in the U.S. military operation "Epic Fury" against Iran. The Stars and Stripes reported on the 26th that Fairford base was built in 1944 for the Normandy landings and has been continuously used by the U.S. Air Force to this day. The base has a 3,000-meter-long main runway, capable of accommodating the U.S. Air Force's active B-1B, B-2, and B-52H strategic bombers for takeoff and landing. The U.S. 420th Air Base Squadron, part of the 501st Combat Support Wing, is stationed at RAF Fairford, which is also the only forward deployment location for U.S. bombers in Europe.

Shortly after the U.S. and Israel began strikes against Iran, the UK government announced in early March that it would allow the U.S. to use British military bases for "defensive actions." Shortly after this statement was issued, U.S. bombers were spotted at RAF Fairford. The Daily Telegraph stated that launching U.S. bombers from RAF Fairford could cut the time for airstrikes against Iran in half.

Although the initial investigation results from the fire department indicated that the fire was "purely accidental," social media has been filled with various speculations. The Stars and Stripes reported that the airstrikes against Iran are very unpopular in the UK, with the latest polls showing that 65% of Britons disapprove of the U.S. airstrikes, and about 86% are concerned about the impact of Middle Eastern conflicts on gas and energy prices. On the 25th, about 200 British citizens gathered outside RAF Fairford to protest against the U.S. military actions against Iran, with some protesters holding signs that read "No War on Iran" and "U.S. Troops Out of British Bases," as well as photos of children who lost their lives in the conflict.

Additionally, the U.S. military has recently experienced frequent fire incidents, including a fire in the laundry room of the USS Ford, which forced it to temporarily withdraw from operations and dock for repairs in Crete, Greece; the USS Eisenhower and the USS Zumwalt, undergoing repairs and upgrades in U.S. ports, also encountered fires. These frequent fire incidents have raised questions about the overall issues within the U.S. military's logistics and maintenance system.