Image: from TRACTerrorism X @TracTerrorism
By Harrison Vane | Open Chronicle Defense & Security Correspondent
LONDON — An investigation led by Counter-Terrorism Policing has been launched in North London following a targeted arson attack on four ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer emergency service, Hatzola. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday morning in the heart of Golders Green, is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime and has sparked international concern after an Iran-aligned group claimed responsibility.
At approximately 01:45 GMT, three suspects dressed in black were captured on CCTV pouring accelerant onto the emergency vehicles parked on Highfield Road, near the Machzike Hadath synagogue. The subsequent blaze triggered several explosions as gas canisters stored on board the ambulances detonated, shattering the windows of nearby residential blocks and forcing the evacuation of dozens of residents to a local shelter.
BREAKING 🔴🔴
An IRGC terror group in the UK, called Ashab al-Yamin takes responsibility for torching 4 ambulances belonging to a Jewish volunteer EMT services in Golders Green, London last night.
The terrorists are on the loose.
The UK is dealing with a serious problem. pic.twitter.com/z728w4R17d
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 23, 2026
The Claim of Responsibility
In the hours following the attack, a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI), or the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand, issued a claim of responsibility via a Telegram channel frequently used by pro-Iranian Shia militias.
Security services, including MI5, are now working to authenticate the claim. According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the same network has previously been linked to a series of arson attacks across Europe, including targets in Belgium, Greece, and the Netherlands. While British authorities have not formally declared the incident an act of terrorism, the involvement of counter-terrorism units highlights the severity of the suspected link to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“A Wicked Crime”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as “deeply shocking” and “horrific,” stating that antisemitism has no place in British society. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, addressing the House of Commons, described the incident as a “wicked crime” and vowed that the perpetrators would be pursued relentlessly.
The targeting of Hatzola, a non-profit organization that has provided free emergency medical care to all members of the Golders Green community since 1979, has particularly sickened local leaders. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis noted that the service’s “sole mission is to protect life, Jewish and non-Jewish alike.”
Community on Edge
For the residents of Golders Green, where nearly half the population identifies as Jewish, the explosions served as a violent reminder of rising tensions. “The Jewish community is very aware of the danger we live in,” local councillor Shimon Ryde told reporters from a makeshift evacuation center.
The Metropolitan Police have increased high-visibility patrols across the borough and are engaging with faith leaders to provide reassurance. As of Tuesday, the three suspects remain at large. Detectives are urging anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the Highfield Road area between 01:00 and 02:30 on Monday to come forward.
As security conditions in the Middle East continue to deteriorate, this attack in the quiet streets of North London suggests that the “grey-zone” conflict between international actors may be increasingly spilling over into the capitals of the West.