MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned Tuesday that Iran is intensifying its attacks on UK military sites, describing a suspected plot against a US-run airbase in September as part of a broader pattern. The UK’s domestic security service leader said Tehran is targeting harder locations than before, moving beyond traditional sites linked to Iranian opposition groups.
McCallum stated that Iran is using a range of tactics, including arson and sabotage, against Jewish communities in the UK. These attacks, he said, are part of a “hybrid campaign” that combines physical and digital threats. The RAF Fairford incident, where seven men were arrested over a suspected security plot, was described as “not unique.”
The MI5 chief also highlighted the growing threat from state-sponsored actors, including Russia and Iran, and warned of the potential use of artificial intelligence to develop bioweapons. He emphasized that the UK is taking more action against such threats than at any time since the Cold War.
This escalation comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Western nations, with Iran accused of supporting militant groups and conducting cyber and physical attacks. The UK has previously reported Iranian-linked incidents targeting Jewish communities, which McCallum now says are part of a coordinated strategy. The situation reflects a broader pattern of state-sponsored aggression, with Iran increasingly targeting critical infrastructure and security institutions.
