London Ambulance Arson Sparks Jewish Fear as Iran-Linked Group Claims Attack

Jewish residents in London’s Golders Green woke early Monday to burning ambulances and explosions beside a synagogue, but fear intensified hours later when an Iran-linked group claimed responsibility for the attack. “We are scared, terrified,” said Yael Gluck, a local mother, as authorities began investigating the incident and its possible connection to a broader wave of anti-Jewish attacks across Europe.

The claim of responsibility by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, a little-known Islamist group that surfaced in Europe this month and is identified by Israeli officials as aligned with pro-Iranian networks, later confirmed in a report by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, has raised concern that the arson is part of a coordinated campaign targeting Jewish communities beyond a single city or country.

Around 1:40 a.m. on March 23, four volunteer ambulances belonging to the Hatzola emergency service were set on fire while parked next to a synagogue. London Fire Brigade crews responded to the scene, where explosions from onboard cylinders shattered nearby windows and forced evacuations of local residents. No injuries were reported.

Police said CCTV footage appears to show three hooded suspects pouring an accelerant on the vehicles before igniting them and fleeing. The incident is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime, with counterterror officers leading the investigation.

For many in Golders Green, the choice of target added to the shock. “How could anyone do that to ambulances?” asked a 65-year-old resident as people gathered near the scene.

Hatzola, a volunteer-run service established in 1979, provides free emergency medical response across the local Jewish community, and many residents keep its number readily available at home. “I’m not surprised that the Jewish community was targeted. It is a continuous ongoing thing,” said Adam Waters, who works for a Jewish organization. “I am surprised, though, that they targeted ambulances.”

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis described the incident as a terror attack, saying: “We’re not going to be intimidated by terrorists, and this was a terrorist attack.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the arson “horrific news” and said “Antisemitism has no place in our society,” as he met with Jewish community representatives at 10 Downing Street. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said police patrols would be increased in the area, while Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government would provide replacement ambulances by Tuesday morning.

The Israeli embassy in London said the incident followed years of “hate-filled marches” and warned that “silence and inaction are no longer an option,” adding: “Enough is enough.” President Isaac Herzog expressed solidarity with British Jews, saying Israel “stands shoulder-to-shoulder” with them in confronting antisemitism.

The group that claimed responsibility for the London attack has also taken credit for recent incidents targeting Jewish sites in Europe, including attacks in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Belgium earlier this month. According to Israeli officials, its messaging has circulated on Telegram channels affiliated with Hezbollah and Iran’s IRGC.

Police said establishing the authenticity of the group’s claim is now a priority. No arrests have been made, and authorities have not formally designated the incident as terrorism despite the involvement of counterterror units.

For residents, however, the distinction offers little reassurance. “It is not safe for us,” Gluck said, adding that she is now considering leaving the United Kingdom altogether as attacks on Jewish communities appear to spread across Europe.