British officials said Iran-linked proxy antisemitic attacks UK were publicly claimed by the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR), and announced immediate legal steps to tackle what ministers described as state-directed sabotage. The government said IMCR has claimed seven incidents this year targeting Jewish sites and that new measures under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 will make it easier to pursue those suspected of carrying out or facilitating foreign-backed attacks.
Iran-linked proxy antisemitic attacks UK: government claim
The government assessment, given to Parliament and outlined in a public statement, says the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR) openly claimed seven attacks directed at Jewish and Israel-linked sites. Officials told lawmakers that members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Qods Force were “almost certainly” directing some operations across Europe, a characterization presented as an intelligence assessment rather than an independently verified fact.
Ministers said those assessments form the basis for urgent designations and legal changes intended to disrupt networks, prosecute offenders and deter states they say are using proxies to conceal hostile operations.
Scope and sites of the attacks
According to the government, incidents this year included fires and arson attempts at synagogues, attacks on vehicles operated by Jewish charities, and damage to community facilities in London. Officials stressed there were no reported injuries in Britain linked to the incidents they described.
Officials also said the IMCR has claimed responsibility for similar attacks on synagogues in Belgium and the Netherlands, which ministers cited to illustrate what they called a coordinated pattern of activity across several European countries.
New legal powers and penalties
The government is using provisions in the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 to broaden authorities available to police and prosecutors. Ministers said the changes remove the need to prove a direct link to a foreign government in every prosecution where state-directed sabotage is suspected and create specific offences tied to acting on behalf of designated hostile state actors and proxies.
If Parliament approves the latest designations, the law would allow prosecutors to seek life sentences for acts of sabotage carried out on behalf of the IRGC, IMCR or other designated proxies. Supporting or assisting those groups could carry prison terms of up to 14 years, the government said. The measures are intended to close legal gaps officials say have been exploited to mask the direction of hostile activity.
UK intelligence, sanctions and funding
Home Office officials, citing MI5 assessments, said domestic security services identified at least 20 potentially lethal Iran-backed plots against people in Britain over the past year. The government also reported that it has imposed more than 550 sanctions on Iranian-linked individuals and entities, a figure ministers used to underline a wider campaign of pressure beyond criminal prosecutions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announcing the moves, said the measures were necessary to protect communities. “We will never let Britain be a playground for states who want to spread fear, division and violence on our streets,” he said.
As part of the announcement, the government pledged £250 million over three years to bolster Jewish community security. Officials described the money as intended for increased policing, physical protections at synagogues, schools and community centres, and support for local security arrangements managed by community organisations.
What this means for Jewish community security
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the designations and funding were designed to make it easier to track, charge and, where necessary, detain those involved in hostile acts. “Iran and Russia are using proxies and thugs to conduct hostile operations,” she said, arguing that rapid designation powers give security services clearer tools to act.
Jewish community leaders welcomed tougher measures but urged careful, swift implementation so that national pledges translate into tangible local protections. Representatives asked for prompt guidance on how the £250 million will be allocated and tracked, and for clear operational coordination with police and local authorities to boost visible security at vulnerable sites.
Officials said the government will continue intelligence-sharing with European partners, maintain sanctions pressure and monitor online recruitment and criminal networks that could be used to carry out hostile activity. Parliament is expected to consider the new designations and related statutory screens later this week, after which prosecutors will be able to use the expanded powers in future cases if the measures receive legislative approval.
Reporting in this article relies on government statements and intelligence assessments provided to ministers and Parliament; those claims have been presented by officials as the basis for new policy and have not been independently verified by this outlet.
Source: reporting by The Associated Press and Fox News. Original reporting: Fox News, UK pins string of antisemitic attacks on Iran-linked group, bans IRGC.
