MI5 chief says Iran is targeting British military sites

MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum said Tuesday that Iran has shifted toward harder targets including military sites in Britain, and that UK authorities made 50 arrests over the past year to disrupt Iran-linked operations.

Why it matters: The warning, in McCallum's annual speech, follows the September security incident at RAF Fairford that prompted the US to withdraw bombers from the base, and London's move on Monday to sanction two Iranian nationals; Tehran denies any involvement.

Data as of Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Al Jazeera report opened and read in full. The claims are those of the MI5 Director-General and UK officials; Iran has rejected accusations of involvement in the RAF Fairford incident and other alleged activity in Britain, and none of the men arrested over Fairford has been charged. Developing item.

In his annual speech on Tuesday, MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum said there had been a major shift in Tehran’s calculus this year toward “harder targets, like military sites,” and that British authorities had carried out 50 arrests over the past year to disrupt Iran-linked operations. The comments follow the September 27 incident at RAF Fairford, where three vans carrying petrol approached the base used by US bombers for strikes on Iran; the United States withdrew its B-1 and B-52 aircraft from the facility on October 4, and on Monday the UK sanctioned two Iranian nationals it accused of facilitating hostile activity. McCallum also doubted Iran’s ability to mount complex attacks inside Britain, citing the limited sophistication of the operatives seen so far, and Tehran has denied any involvement in the Fairford incident.

MI5 chief says Iran is targeting British military sites

Sources