The United Kingdom has raised its terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe” following an antisemitic attack, indicating that an attack is now considered highly likely.

According to a government statement, the decision follows the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, North London, on Wednesday. The threat level was officially upgraded on Thursday by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).

UK Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, said the move was not solely in response to the recent attack but was also driven by a broader rise in threats from Islamist and extreme right-wing groups.

The Metropolitan Police has classified the stabbings as a terrorist incident, linking it to a series of attacks targeting the Jewish community across the country.

Jarvis urged the public to remain calm but vigilant, assuring that intelligence agencies and law enforcement are working continuously to safeguard citizens.

Meanwhile, UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, acknowledged growing concerns, particularly among Jewish communities. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to combating antisemitism and enhancing security at Jewish institutions.

Recent months have seen a spike in racially motivated and antisemitic incidents in the UK. Reports indicate that in October 2025, two people were killed and three others seriously injured in a car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester. In March, four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set ablaze in a synagogue car park in Golders Green.

Additional incidents include attacks on the Finchley Reform Synagogue and the Kenton United Synagogue, highlighting a troubling pattern of targeted violence.

The UK last recorded a “severe” threat level in November 2021, following a bombing outside a Liverpool hospital and the killing of MP David Amess. The level was later reduced to “substantial” in February 2022.