Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community organisation were set ablaze overnight in north London in what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as “a deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack,” Reuters reported.
The London Fire Brigade said it deployed six fire engines and around 40 firefighters to contain the blaze. Multiple cylinders inside the vehicles exploded, shattering windows in a nearby residential building. No injuries were reported.
Reuters reported that the ambulances were operated by Hatzola, a not-for-profit volunteer emergency response organisation serving the Jewish community.
According to the SITE Intelligence Group, an Iran-aligned militant collective calling itself the “Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand” claimed responsibility for the attack near a synagogue in Golders Green. The group has allegedly been linked to similar incidents in Belgium, Greece and the Netherlands.
Starmer Condemns Attack
Starmer said the incident was “deeply shocking,” adding: “My thoughts are with the Jewish community who are waking up this morning to this horrific news. Antisemitism has no place in our society.”
Israel's embassy in Britain also condemned the incident, warning that antisemitism in London had reached alarming levels. “Enough is enough,” it said on X. “There must be a thorough investigation and decisive action to put an end to this climate of intimidation before it spirals further.”
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Rising Attacks on Jewish Targets
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it is treating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime, with officers maintaining a presence at the scene. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said additional patrols would be deployed in the area.
Attacks against Jewish individuals and institutions have risen globally since the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent Gaza war. British authorities have also warned that the ongoing tensions linked to the Iran conflict could further inflame divisions.
Security groups noted parallels between the London incident and recent arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in European cities including Liège, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
Fire crews brought the blaze under control by 0306 GMT, authorities said, as investigations continue into one of the most serious recent antisemitic incidents in the UK.
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