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

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

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

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

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

Members of the Jewish assemblage presumption the country of an antisemitic arson onslaught successful the Golders Green vicinity of northbound London, connected Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)

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

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

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counterterrorism Policing London, which the Metropolitan Police said is starring the investigation, said Wednesday, "We person been moving astir the 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 the Golders Green vicinity of London, pursuing an evident arson onslaught connected 4 ambulances belonging to the Jewish Community Ambulance Service. (PA/PA Images via Getty Images)

"This appears to be an important breakthrough successful the investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of the incidental suggests determination were astatine slightest 3 radical involved," she added. "We fully recognize the section assemblage volition inactive beryllium acrophobic and our probe precise much remains active and we volition proceed to enactment to identify and seek to apprehension each of those who whitethorn person been involved." 

"We cognize that assemblage concerns stay heightened and I privation to reassure the assemblage that an enhanced, bespoke policing program and activity, which is peculiarly focused astir susceptible areas close crossed London, volition proceed implicit coming days and weeks," Williams said Wednesday.

Charred remains of ambulances belonging to Hatzola, a Jewish assemblage organization, which were acceptable connected occurrence successful an incidental that the constabulary accidental is being treated arsenic an antisemitic hatred crime, successful northwest London, connected Monday, March 23, 2026.  (Hannah McKay/TPX Images of the Day/Reuters)

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"This includes specializer officers and capableness being deployed alongside section officers to assistance support definite locations and volition besides impact highly disposable equipped constabulary patrols to service arsenic a deterrent to anyone seeking to origin our communities harm," helium continued. "I indispensable accent that these are precautionary and not successful effect to immoderate circumstantial threat, and we proceed to enactment alongside our colleagues successful Counter Terrorism policing to enactment their investigation." 

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