Ex-Mossad Chief: Israel Helped Foil Terror Attacks in Britain

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen said Israeli intelligence helped disrupt extensive terrorist activity in Britain. He also warned that growing hostility toward Israel has made parts of the country increasingly unsafe for Jews.

Speaking on The Times podcast The General and the Journalist (released August 14, 2026), he said Mossad had saved many lives on British soil during his tenure as head of the agency from 2016 to 2021. He said a former MI5 director later thanked him personally for helping foil numerous threats on British soil.

He pointed to that intelligence cooperation while criticizing Britain’s increasingly confrontational approach toward Israel. In addition, he argued that the UK should recognize the assistance Israel has provided in combating terrorism and remain supportive even when disagreements arise over Israeli policy.

Regarding British Jews, he warned that visibly Jewish people can no longer walk safely in parts of London and Manchester. He linked that atmosphere to increasingly hostile political rhetoric surrounding Israel and the war in Gaza.

Cohen’s warning comes amid sustained high levels of antisemitism in Britain. The Community Security Trust recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2026, a 21% increase from the same period last year.

At the same time, Cohen said criticism of Israeli government policy was legitimate, but argued that opposition to Israel’s efforts against Hamas and other terrorist groups had crossed a line. He stressed that Israel did not initiate the Gaza war and said the country’s intelligence and security operations also protect citizens of allied nations.

Intelligence cooperation between Israel and Britain has long been publicly acknowledged, but senior former officials rarely discuss specific results. Cohen’s comments offered an unusually direct account of Mossad’s role in disrupting threats inside the UK.