Police in the United Kingdom have launched an investigation into a series of arson incidents targeting Jewish locations in London, amid suspicions the attacks could be linked to Iranian-backed groups.
Authorities disclosed the development on Sunday, while the country’s chief rabbi warned of escalating threats against the Jewish community.
The Metropolitan Police Service confirmed that counterterrorism officers are examining multiple fires affecting synagogues and other Jewish-affiliated sites, as well as an incident involving a Persian-language media organisation.
No casualties have been reported, though the most recent attack caused limited damage to a synagogue in north London on Saturday night.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said responsibility for the incidents had been claimed online by a group identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia.
“We are aware of public reporting that suggests this group may have links to Iran. As you would expect, we will continue to explore that question as our investigation evolves,” she said.
“I’ve spoken previously about the Iranian regime’s use of criminal proxies, and we’re considering whether this tactic is being used here in London,” she added.
The Israeli government has described the group, whose name translates as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, as a newly emerged organisation with suspected ties to an Iranian proxy. It has also reportedly claimed involvement in similar synagogue attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In response to the incidents, police have increased both uniformed and undercover patrols across northwest London following a series of attacks over the past month. These include incidents involving synagogues, Jewish charity ambulances and a Persian-language media outlet critical of Iran’s authorities.
The most serious case occurred on March 23 in the Golders Green area, where four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire. Despite the scale of the attacks, no injuries have been recorded. Several suspects, ranging from teenagers to individuals in their 40s, have been arrested and charged.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis warned that the Jewish community is facing growing threats, stating on X that “a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum.
“Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society,” he added.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attacks, saying he was “appalled” and vowing that those responsible would be held accountable.
“This is abhorrent and it will not be tolerated. Attacks on our Jewish community are attacks on Britain,” Starmer said.
The group also released a video threatening an हमला on the Israeli embassy in London using drones carrying hazardous substances. Police confirmed that no such attack occurred but temporarily closed nearby Kensington Gardens while investigating suspicious items, including jars containing powder, which were later deemed harmless.
British authorities have previously accused Iran of using criminal proxies to carry out operations across Europe targeting opposition media and Jewish communities. The domestic intelligence agency MI5 has reported disrupting more than 20 potentially deadly Iran-linked plots in the year leading up to October.
Security analysts have cautioned that the group claiming responsibility may not be a structured organisation, suggesting its statements should be treated carefully.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes warned that individuals involved in such attacks would face serious consequences.
“Let’s be really clear — it’s a mug’s game,” he said. “That’s what people who are now serving long prison sentences have found out, and the same fate awaits those responsible for these recent crimes”
