British authorities arrested two Latvian men after they were discovered inside the perimeter of RAF Molesworth, a sensitive U.K. military installation that houses U.S. and NATO intelligence operations.

The incident began late Wednesday when Ministry of Defence Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary officers were alerted to an abandoned vehicle near the edge of the base, located about 70 miles north of London. Police later discovered a small breach in the perimeter fence and arrested the two men at approximately 2 a.m. Thursday.

The suspects, ages 32 and 36, are both residents of the United Kingdom. They were initially arrested on suspicion of trespassing on a prohibited site and causing criminal damage before being detained under the National Security Act 2023 for allegedly entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom.

Counterterrorism police are handling the investigation because of the nature of the alleged offense. Authorities have not publicly established why the men entered the installation, and officials stressed that the investigation remains in its early stages.

RAF Molesworth is operated by the U.S. Air Force and is home to the NATO Intelligence Fusion Center, which provides intelligence to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. The base also hosts intelligence personnel from U.S. Africa Command.

The breach comes amid heightened concern in Britain over potential foreign-linked activity targeting military installations. British defense and intelligence officials have warned that the country could face so-called hybrid attacks involving foreign powers such as Russia and Iran.

The incident follows a separate security investigation at RAF Fairford, where authorities discovered three suspicious vans near the base on Sept. 27. That investigation has resulted in seven arrests. The U.S. Air Force subsequently withdrew its bombers from the installation.

A serving Royal Navy member also appeared in court Thursday on allegations that he attempted to send sensitive information to Russia between November 2024 and May 2025.

Authorities have not indicated that the RAF Molesworth breach is connected to the Fairford investigation. Counterterrorism officials said determining the men's motive is a central part of the ongoing investigation.

The U.S. European Command said it was aware of the incident but declined to discuss specific security measures at the installation. The command said U.S. forces remain at their highest state of readiness while officials continue assessing threats around military facilities.

British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the government remains highly vigilant regarding threats to military installations, noting that security measures include physical barriers, patrols, surveillance, monitoring and counter-drone capabilities.

RAF Molesworth has a long history of U.S.-British military cooperation dating back to World War II. Its current role as an intelligence hub makes the latest perimeter breach particularly significant as British authorities increase scrutiny of potential threats to military facilities.