UK Intelligence Chief Warns of Possible Iranian Threats to Military Bases
UK Warns of Iran-Linked Threats to Military Bases, MI5 Says
Britain’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, has warned that Iran-linked hostile activities in the United Kingdom are increasingly extending towards sensitive targets, including military installations.
MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum issued the warning on Tuesday while presenting his annual assessment of national security threats at the agency’s headquarters in London. He said a significant development this year was the apparent ambition of Iran-linked actors to target more difficult and heavily protected locations.
According to McCallum, Tehran has increasingly relied on criminal intermediaries to carry out alleged acts of intimidation and sabotage against Iranian dissidents, media organisations and Israeli-linked targets in Britain.
RAF Fairford Incident Under Investigation
The warning follows a suspected plot involving RAF Fairford, a military airbase in Gloucestershire used by the United States Air Force. British counter-terrorism police arrested seven men following a security incident near the base in September.
Police reportedly found petrol in three vans associated with the suspects, but no explosives were discovered. The men were subsequently released on bail while investigations continued.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the suspected plot was almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). However, the investigation remains ongoing, and Iran has denied involvement.
The incident prompted the United States to withdraw its bombers from RAF Fairford amid security concerns. McCallum declined to discuss specific details of the investigation but said the incident was not an isolated example of the broader threat.
More Than 50 Arrests in Iran-Linked Operations
McCallum said British authorities had made more than 50 arrests over the past year in operations linked to Iran.
He also highlighted attacks and attempted acts of sabotage targeting Jewish sites and communities. British authorities have attributed several such incidents to suspected Iranian proxies, although responsibility and links to foreign state actors must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The intelligence chief expressed solidarity with Britain’s Jewish community and warned that hostile activities were creating growing security challenges for the country.
Russia Identified as a Major Security Threat
McCallum also warned that Russia was intensifying what Western governments describe as hybrid warfare against Britain and its allies.
Such activities can include cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation and other hostile operations that fall below the threshold of conventional military conflict.
He said MI5’s caseload involving threats from foreign states had quadrupled over the past decade. In 2026, the agency was allocating more resources to countering state threats than at any point during the Cold War, he added.
MI5 Raises Concerns Over Artificial Intelligence
The intelligence chief also warned that artificial intelligence could create new security risks if exploited by hostile actors.
According to McCallum, AI could help generate targeted propaganda, support extremist recruitment and increase the capabilities of malicious actors. He also raised concerns about the potential misuse of advanced technology in developing dangerous biological agents.
The warning comes as British security agencies reassess how emerging technologies could change the nature of terrorism, espionage and state-sponsored hostile activity.
Conclusion: Britain’s latest security assessment highlights growing concerns about foreign interference, suspected sabotage and emerging technological threats. Investigations into the alleged Iran-linked operations remain ongoing, while Tehran continues to deny involvement in the incidents cited by British officials.
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