The director of Britain’s domestic security service, MI5, has warned that Iran is actively seeking to strike military sites within the United Kingdom. Ken McCallum, who leads the agency, stated that the suspected terror plot targeting a U.S.-operated military air base in September is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a broader trend of Tehran attempting to expand its operations beyond traditional targets.
Addressing the current security landscape, McCallum noted that while Iranian-backed proxies have previously focused on arson and sabotage against Jewish sites in Britain, there has been a major shift this year toward more challenging objectives, specifically military infrastructure.
The incident at RAF Fairford, located in western England, serves as a primary example of this escalation. The base, which has been utilized for bombing missions against Iran during recent conflicts, was the subject of a significant security operation on September 27.
During that event, residents were evacuated as armed police and army bomb-disposal units searched the area. Authorities discovered gasoline—an accelerant—inside three vans, though no explosive devices were located. Following the incident, the U.S. military opted to remove its bombers from the site.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has indicated that the plot was almost certainly directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. While seven men in their 20s were arrested in connection with the investigation, they have since been released on bail. Iran has denied any involvement, though the state has historically maintained that any facility used to conduct attacks against its territory is a legitimate target.
McCallum described the current climate as a new era of national security, suggesting the U.K. is at a turning point comparable to the 9/11 attacks. He reported that the agency’s counter-state threat operations, primarily involving Russia, Iran, and China, have quadrupled over the last ten years, with both Russia and Iran actively expanding hybrid warfare campaigns against Britain.
Furthermore, McCallum highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in complicating national security, noting that AI is currently supercharging cyber battles and being utilized by terror groups for reconnaissance and the development of AI-enabled drones.
Of particular concern to the intelligence chief is the potential for AI to facilitate access to chemical, biological, or radiological weapons. McCallum warned that AI could allow dangerous knowledge to fall into the wrong hands or even generate entirely new, previously unseen pathogens. To address these emerging threats, MI5 has established a new AI Threat Assessment Center.
McCallum concluded by emphasizing the unprecedented nature of these challenges, noting that the agency is now tasked with contending with an actor that may be smarter than its human counterparts, a reality he says requires serious and immediate attention.
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