The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to Highfield Road around 1.45am on Monday after receiving reports of a fire. The London Fire Brigade reported that around 40 firefighters attended the scene and that multiple cylinders on the vehicles had exploded, causing windows to break in nearby flats. Oxygen tanks on the ambulances exploded, causing damage to nearby buildings. Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution and road closures remain in place. No injuries were reported, according to the London Fire Brigade. Shomrim, a Jewish community safety group, said the explosions were caused by oxygen tanks, not a bomb or explosive device. The ambulances were valued at over £1 million, according to multiple media reports.
Two men, aged 45 and 47, were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and later released on bail, the Met Police said. Separately, three individuals — Hamza Iqbal, 20; Rehan Khan, 19; and a 17-year-old boy — were charged with arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, according to Westminster Magistrates' Court. The three charged individuals are British nationals; the 17-year-old is a dual British and Pakistani national, multiple media reports said. Superintendent Sarah Jackson of the Metropolitan Police said in a press conference: "We believe we are looking for three suspects at this early stage."
A group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) claimed responsibility for the Golders Green attack via Telegram, according to the group's own statement. The HAYI Telegram channel had less than 200 subscribers and was deleted by Tuesday, multiple media reports said. Experts say HAYI's branding is similar to that of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Detectives are investigating potential links to an Iranian-backed terror group, according to sources. A man was seen asking locals questions about the ambulance service hours before the attack, sources said.
Antisemitic incidents in the UK have soared since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, with 3,700 incidents recorded in 2025, according to the Community Security Trust (CST). In October 2025, an attacker drove into people outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, killing one person; another died from police fire, multiple media reports said. An attempted arson attack occurred at Finchley Reform Synagogue overnight, with two suspects throwing petrol bombs and a brick, the Met Police said. No injuries or damage were reported in the Finchley attack, according to multiple media reports. The CST said in a statement: "This has obvious comparison to similar antisemitic arson attacks recently in Belgium and the Netherlands."
We believe we are looking for three suspects at this early stage.
MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the agency has tracked more than 20 potentially lethal Iran-backed plots in the past year. Two British nationals were charged with carrying out hostile surveillance of the UK's Jewish community on behalf of Iran, multiple media reports said. The King is to become a patron of a security trust protecting Jewish people, according to multiple media reports.
A fundraiser raised nearly £2 million after the attack, according to multiple media reports. Shomrim said the Northwest London facility run by fellow Jewish charity Hatzola remained fully operational. The Community Security Trust (CST) confirmed in a statement that it was assisting police in their enquiries. Hatzola saved the life of a one-week-old baby, Aliza Glass, in December 2024, according to Esti Glass.
The Mayor of Bath, Dr Bharat Pankhania, shared posts claiming the Golders Green attack was an 'Israeli false flag' operation and later apologized, according to multiple media reports.
The exact motive behind the Golders Green attack remains unclear. It is not known whether the charged individuals are connected to any organized group or acting alone. The credibility of the HAYI claim of responsibility is uncertain, and any verified link to Iran has not been established. The status of the investigation into the Finchley Reform Synagogue attempted arson is not publicly known. Specific security measures being implemented to protect Jewish communities in London have not been disclosed.