Britain’s counter-terrorism police are investigating whether suspected Iranian proxies are behind a wave of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in London, after a chief rabbi warned such attacks are escalating.
The Metropolitan Police said specialist counter-terrorism officers are investigating fires at synagogues, Jewish-affiliated facilities and a Persian-language media company critical of the Iranian regime.
The latest incident caused minor damage to a synagogue in north London on Saturday evening. No injuries were reported in any of the fires, which all occurred within a few miles of each other.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said investigators are looking into claims from a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which has taken responsibility for several attacks. The group’s name means Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right.
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Police officers patrol near Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, a suburb of London, on April 19, 2026. (Jamie Lashmar/PA)
“We are aware of public reporting that suggests this group may have ties to Iran. As you would expect, we will continue to investigate that question as our investigation develops,” she said.
“I have previously spoken about the Iranian regime’s use of criminal proxies, and we are considering whether this tactic is being used here in London,” Evans added.
Authorities say the group – which Israel has described as a possible Iranian proxy – has also claimed attacks on synagogues in Belgium and the Netherlands.
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Police have flooded north-west London with extra officers following a series of incidents in recent weeks, including the torching of four Jewish charity ambulances in the Golders Green area on March 23.
A police officer investigates an attempted arson at the Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London on April 15, 2026. The Metropolitan Police are searching for two suspects after bottles believed to contain petrol were thrown at the building. (Toby Shepheard/AFP/Getty Images)
Several suspects, ranging from teenagers to people in their 40s, have already been arrested and charged.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis warned on X that “a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community in Britain is gaining momentum.”
“Thank God no lives were lost, but we cannot and must not wait for that to change before we understand how dangerous this moment is for all of society,” he added.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence, calling the attacks “abhorrent” and vowing that those responsible “will be found and brought to justice.”
Police are seen outside a synagogue in London on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, following an attempted arson. (Toby Shepheard/AFP/Getty Images)
The threat level rose further after the group released a video claiming they would attack the Israeli embassy in London with drones carrying hazardous materials. Police closed nearby Kensington Gardens while they investigated suspicious items, but said no hazardous materials had been found.
British counter-terrorism police investigate anti-Semitic arson attack as Iran-linked group claims responsibility
British officials have long warned that Iran is using criminal networks to carry out attacks in Europe. MI5 says it has disrupted more than 20 potentially deadly Iran-linked plots in the past year.
Police have issued a blunt warning to all ‘hitmen’ involved in such attacks.
“Let’s be very clear: this is a joke,” said Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes. “That is what people now serving long prison sentences have discovered, and the same fate awaits those responsible for these recent crimes.”
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Investigators say the investigation is still ongoing as authorities try to determine whether the attacks are part of a coordinated, foreign-backed campaign.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
