Israel’s president has accused Sir Keir Starmer of letting the Iranian regime operate freely in Britain.
Isaac Herzog blamed the Prime Minister for letting Iranian terrorists “do what they want” in the United Kingdom, adding: “How come in Britain, the Prime Minister of Britain says there were about 10 or 20 events only last year linked to Iranian terror? What is this?”
The president’s comments in an interview earlier this week came just four days after Jewish ambulances were destroyed in a firebomb attack, feared to have been orchestrated by Iran.
Counter-terrorism police arrested two British nationals, aged 45 and 47, in connection with the incident. Both were later released on bail pending further investigation.
The attack marks the latest in a series of escalating security concerns linked to Iran, which have intensified following the joint Israel-US war against the Islamic republic.
Speaking to Michael Dickson, the executive director of pro-Israel campaign group StandWithUs, Mr Herzog said: “They [Iran] spend billions of dollars – they have terror cells all over the world.
“[They do this] directly and through their proxies. It’s about time the world stands up to them. Stands up to them and say no more.
“How come in Britain, the Prime Minister of Britain says there were about 10 or 20 events only last year linked to Iranian terror? What is this? They’re allowed to do what they want. They are a rogue state. They’re an empire of evil and they’re an evil regime and it must be crushed.”
Relationships between Britain, the United States and Israel have already begun to sour, following Sir Keir’s decision not to support the initial strikes against Iran.
In 2024, the director general of MI5 revealed that security services had disrupted 20 “potentially lethal” Iran-backed plots targeting British citizens and UK residents since 2022.
The problem has not abated.
On March 6, shortly before the Hatzola firebombing attack, police arrested four men on suspicion of conducting surveillance on Jewish targets on behalf of Iran.
Evidence of Iran’s expanding reach emerged after the regime launched ballistic missiles towards the joint UK-US military base at Diego Garcia, located nearly 2,500 miles from Iranian territory.
Iran had previously claimed it could only strike targets within a range of up to 1,240 miles.
Mr Herzog urged European allies to stop being so “naïve” and to understand that countries in Europe, including England, are potential, reachable targets of Iranian military aggression.
“Once the Iranians launched a 4,000-kilometre missile to Diego Garcia. That’s 2,500 miles. That definitely covers all of Europe, including England,” he warned.
“What are you so naïve about? Read their scriptures. Read their ideology and understand you are next.”
The Israeli president also expressed his concern over the rising number of anti-Semitic attacks in Britain and beyond.
Since the Oct 7 terror attack on Israel, there has been a major upswing in anti-Semitic activities in England and across the world, with 3,700 instances of anti-Jewish hate being recorded by the Community Security Trust (CST) in 2025 alone.
Mr Herzog told Mr Dickson: “We are in the midst of a major surge of anti-Semitic activity all over the world.
“I am the president of Israel, who feels enormous responsibility for the well-being of Jews all over the world.
“I spoke to Hatzola leadership yesterday. It was a very moving conversation because I called them from Kiryat Shemona on the border with Lebanon and their missiles from Lebanon and I told them the fate of all Jews is unanimous.
“We are there together. We’re in this battle together.”
When contacted for comment, the Prime Minister said that his position on the war is clear.
Though Sir Keir initially refused permission for the United States to launch strikes from British bases, he has since authorised their use for what he described as “defensive” operations against Iranian missile sites and targets linked to threats in the Strait of Hormuz.
