Iran Linked to Attacks on Jewish Sites in UK & Europe After Israel Strikes

Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set ablaze in Golders Green, north London, in the early hours of Monday, prompting a police investigation that is now considering a potential link to Iran. The attack, which damaged vehicles belonging to Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer emergency medical response organization, is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.

While British investigators are proceeding cautiously, experts and security officials suggest the incident bears hallmarks of Iranian intelligence operations. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley acknowledged a “very relevant and rolling threat” from Iran to the UK, particularly targeting Jewish communities, but cautioned against attributing the attack to Tehran at this stage. He stated the force is investigating the rapid growth of Iranian state threats in recent years, including hostile surveillance and disrupted plots targeting the Iranian diaspora.

The Golders Green attack is part of a pattern of similar incidents targeting Jewish sites across Western Europe in recent weeks. On March 9th, an improvised explosive device detonated outside a synagogue in Liège, Belgium. Four days later, another device exploded near a synagogue in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Further incidents in Amsterdam targeted a Jewish school and a commercial center with amateurish incendiary bombs, leading to the arrest of two teenagers. A vehicle parked outside a Jewish-owned business in Antwerp was also torched, with two individuals subsequently arrested.

A video claiming responsibility for the Golders Green attack circulated on Telegram, purportedly posted by a group calling itself Harakat al-Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI), or the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Righteous. The video showed footage of the burning ambulances and claimed a “historic bond” between Israel and the Machzike Hadath synagogue, where the ambulance service is based. However, security officials are skeptical of HAYI’s existence, suggesting it may be a fabricated front created by Iranian intelligence or the Quds force.

The video first appeared on social media channels affiliated with Asaib Ahl al-Haq, a pro-Iranian Shia militia organized, funded, and trained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Researchers at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism in The Hague noted the group’s name and branding draw inspiration from other Shia militant organizations.

Experts point to a pattern of Iranian tactics involving unconventional attacks against perceived enemies while maintaining plausible deniability. Magnus Ranstorp, a veteran expert on Iranian involvement with extremist groups, noted that Iran has historically sought to avoid direct attribution for acts of terrorism. Recent cases in Sweden, Greece, and the United States have revealed instances of Iranian intelligence recruiting individuals and utilizing criminal networks to carry out attacks.

Just last week, two Iranians were charged with conducting hostile surveillance on the Jewish community in London. Earlier this month, a Pakistani man was convicted in Brooklyn for plotting to assassinate Donald Trump and Joe Biden at the behest of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, admitting during his trial that he was tasked with political assassinations in retaliation for the 2020 killing of Qassem Suleimani. He identified three potential targets during conversations with his Iranian handler.

Despite the mounting evidence suggesting Iranian involvement, the Golders Green attack remains officially classified as an antisemitic hate crime, not a terrorist incident. The investigation continues, and the possibility remains that the attack was carried out by individuals or a group acting independently. The incident follows a recent attack on a synagogue in Manchester and comes amid a rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK, with 3,700 recorded in 2025 – the second highest level ever recorded.

Ranstop noted the recent attacks have not been lethal, stating, “The Iranians have a record of killing people or trying to kill people, so for them to clearly try quite hard not to kill anyone is interesting. There is no need for them to set out big statements … but this is still about sending a message.”