UK arrests 2 over 'antisemitic arson attack' as police investigate possible Iran link

Police successful nan United Kingdom arrested 2 men Wednesday allegedly down what Prime Minister Keir Starmer described arsenic an "antisemitic arson attack" arsenic detectives are investigating a imaginable Iran link. 

Metropolitan Police said nan men, ages 45 and 47, were detained astatine addresses successful northwest and cardinal London connected suspicion of arson pinch intent to endanger life and that their properties are being searched. On Monday, "Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in nan Golders Green area of northbound London, were group connected fire," according to police. 

"The antisemitic arson onslaught successful Golders Green is horrifying," Starmer said connected X successful guidance to nan incident. 

A video circulating online purports to show Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, an Iran-linked group that has claimed work for caller attacks connected Jewish sites successful Belgium and nan Netherlands, taking in installments for nan London attack, according to nan Jewish Chronicle.

UK COUNTERTERRORISM POLICE PROBE ANTISEMITIC ARSON ATTACK AS IRAN-LINKED GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

Members of nan Jewish organization position nan segment of an antisemitic arson onslaught successful nan Golders Green vicinity of northbound London, connected Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)

"We are alert of an online declare from a group taking work for this attack," Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams of nan Metropolitan Police previously said. "Establishing nan authenticity and accuracy of this declare will beryllium a priority… but it is not thing we tin corroborate astatine this point." 

When asked astir nan imaginable Iran nexus connected Wednesday, nan Metropolitan Police told Fox News Digital that establishing immoderate imaginable information down nan onslaught is portion of nan ongoing investigation but that it could not remark further astatine this time. 

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counterterrorism Policing London, which nan Metropolitan Police said is starring nan investigation, said Wednesday, "We person been moving astir nan timepiece since this appalling onslaught took place and this has led to these arrests being made this morning."

BELGIUM DEPLOYS MILITARY TO PROTECT JEWISH SITES AFTER ANTISEMITIC SYNAGOGUE EXPLOSION

Firefighters are seen tackling a blaze astatine Highfield Road successful nan Golders Green vicinity of London, pursuing an evident arson onslaught connected 4 ambulances belonging to nan Jewish Community Ambulance Service. (PA/PA Images via Getty Images)

"This appears to be an important breakthrough successful nan investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of nan incident suggests location were astatine slightest 3 group involved," she added. "We fully recognize the section organization will still beryllium concerned and our investigation very much remains active and we will proceed to activity to identify and seek to apprehension each of those who whitethorn person been involved." 

"We cognize that organization concerns stay heightened and I want to reassure nan organization that an enhanced, bespoke policing scheme and activity, which is peculiarly focused astir susceptible areas correct crossed London, will proceed complete coming days and weeks," Williams said Wednesday.

Charred remains of ambulances belonging to Hatzola, a Jewish organization organization, which were group connected occurrence successful an incident that nan constabulary opportunity is being treated arsenic an antisemitic dislike crime, successful northwest London, connected Monday, March 23, 2026.  (Hannah McKay/TPX Images of nan Day/Reuters)

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"This includes master officers and capacity being deployed alongside section officers to thief protect definite locations and will besides impact highly visible equipped constabulary patrols to service arsenic a deterrent to anyone seeking to origin our communities harm," he continued. "I must accent that these are precautionary and not successful consequence to immoderate circumstantial threat, and we proceed to activity alongside our colleagues successful Counter Terrorism policing to support their investigation." 

Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.