Arson attempt hits London synagogue; Iran-linked group claims attack on Jewish-tied building |
A synagogue in northwest London was targeted in an arson attack overnight Sunday, officials said, in the latest in a string of assaults in recent weeks that Britain’s chief rabbi called “sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community.”
There was minor smoke damage to a room inside Kenton United Synagogue, the Community Security Trust (CST) said, after police and fire teams were called to the Jewish house of worship.
There was no immediate comment from London’s police about the incident at Kenton United Synagogue.
“Last night yet another synagogue, this time in Kenton, was targeted in a cowardly arson attack,” Britain’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said on X. “A sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum.”
“Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society,” he said.
Meanwhile, an Iranian-tied Islamist group has claimed responsibility for a Friday night arson attack on a London building that was formerly used by a Jewish organization, according to a Sunday report.
Last night yet another synagogue, this time in Kenton, was targeted in a cowardly arson attack. It follows the attack in Finchley on Wednesday and the attempted attack on what was the Jewish Futures building in Hendon on Friday night, making three Jewish sites attacked in London… — Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis (@chiefrabbi) April 19, 2026
Last night yet another synagogue, this time in Kenton, was targeted in a cowardly arson attack. It follows the attack in Finchley on Wednesday and the attempted attack on what was the Jewish Futures building in Hendon on Friday night, making three Jewish sites attacked in London…
— Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis (@chiefrabbi) April 19, 2026
The attack targeted a building in north London’s Hendon neighborhood that still displayed the sign for Jewish Futures, an educational organization. There were no injuries.
Given the spate of attacks, CST urged all Jewish institutions to strictly adhere to existing security protocols.
According to The UK’s The Sunday Times, the newly founded Islamist group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), or Movement of the Companions of the Right Hand of Islam, which has links to Iran, has claimed responsibility for the Friday night attack.
According to police, the group has been behind several recent arson attacks against Jewish targets in the country.
The newspaper added that British police are examining whether HAYI is a front for Iran’s security forces.
A British security source told the outlet that a string of recent attacks in London by the group amount to “psychological warfare” against Jews.
On Friday, British police said they were investigating a security incident near the Israeli Embassy after HAYI posted online that it had targeted the premises with drones carrying “dangerous substances.” On Saturday, Metropolitan Police announced the incident was over and no hazardous materials had been found.
The group also claimed responsibility for an arson attack was carried out on a synagogue in nearby Finchley on Wednesday.
On Wednesday evening, a burning object was thrown at the offices of Persian media outlet Iran International, which is heavily critical of Iran’s clerical leadership. HAYI said it was behind that attack as well.
In late March, four Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green, also in north London.
The group has claimed responsibility for a spate of attacks across Europe on American, Israeli and Jewish targets, including in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Monitoring groups have reported an upsurge in antisemitic incidents in Britain, particularly since the start of the war Gaza war sparked by Hamas’s terror onslaught on October 7, 2023.
The Community Security Trust recorded 3,700 instances of anti-Jewish hate across the UK last year, a four percent rise on 2024, but down on 2023.
Reuters contributed to this report
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Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya
London Metropolitan Police