Arrests in London for Hatzolah Arson

British police have arrested two men in connection with the suspected antisemitic arson attack on Jewish community ambulances in north London earlier this week.

The Metropolitan Police said Wednesday that the suspects, aged 47 and 45, were arrested at separate addresses in northwest and central London and remain in custody.

The arrests follow an incident early Monday in which four ambulances belonging to Hatzola, a volunteer Jewish emergency service, were set on fire near a synagogue in the Golders Green area. No injuries were reported, but the blaze caused significant damage and triggered explosions from gas cylinders inside the vehicles, shattering windows in nearby buildings and prompting evacuations.

Authorities are treating the incident as a hate crime. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described it as a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack.”

Police said the investigation is ongoing and noted that CCTV footage indicates at least three individuals may have been involved, suggesting additional suspects could still be at large.

Officials had previously said they were examining a possible link to Iran, though no formal attribution has been made. Iranian officials have denied involvement in similar allegations.

In the aftermath of the attack, police have increased their presence in Jewish neighborhoods across north London, as concerns grow over a rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK.

Security services have also warned in recent months about the potential for foreign-backed threats targeting Jewish communities, particularly in the context of the ongoing regional conflict in the Middle East.

The investigation remains active as authorities work to determine the full scope and motivation behind the attack.