Following Israel’s offensive in the early hours of Friday, an exchange of ballistic missile fire has erupted between the two countries leaving military and nuclear facilites in rubble, and risking hundreds of civilian casualties.
Four UK Intelligence sources have said UK involvement would also significantly increase the risk to the UK domesticly from state-backed Iranian operations or “lone wolf” attacks sparked by the conflict in the Middle East.
Another, when asked if “lone wolf” attacks – acts of terrorism without direct support or influence from a larger organisation – were now an increased risk, replied: “Agreed”.
Matthew Dunn, a former MI6 officer said UK intelligence agencies will now be “aggressively preparing for the worst”, including “terrorism or state-sponsored surgical attacks on U.K. soil or oversees installations.”
Protestors chant in Parliament square against the Israeli attacks on Iran (Photo: Guy Smallman/Getty Images)“Through historical choices on who we partner with, it can be argued that we have allowed ourselves to be suckered into this position by the aggressive and wholly independent actions of others such as Israel.
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Jewish communities in the UK have already started raising alarm bells over the increased threat. CST, a security organisation aimed at protecting jewish establishments and organisations in the UK, warned its followers on X to “be vigilant” and follow “strict security measures” in place at communal buildings.
A history of hostility
Iran has increased its hostile and clandestine work on UK soil. In May 2025, three Iranian nationals were accused of conducting surveillance and reconnaissance activities with the intent to facilitate serious acts of violence targeting UK-based journalists associated with ‘Iran International’, a Persian-language media outlet critical of the Iranian regime .
Last year, Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5, said the agency’s state threats investigations had increased by 48 per cent in the previous 12 months, noting that since January 2022, the police and MI5 had responded to 20 Iran-backed plots presenting potentially lethal threats.
Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, delivers the annual Director General’s speech at Counter Terrorism Operations Centre in west London (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)The UK has so far not been involved in defending Tel Aviv, despite having previously done so when Tehran sent missile barrages at the city in April and October last year.
A director of a think tank has said that the UK would make itself a “legitimate target” if it uses military power to support Israel. Hamidreza Gholamzadeh, who heads up the Iranian think tank DiploHouse, told Laura Kuenssberg: “Iran is going to defend itself by any means, and any country … who supports the Israelis would be a legitimate target for Iran”.
The Cabinet Office has been contacted for a response.
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