In his annual threat assessment delivered on October 8, 2024, Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, warned of significant Russian interference in European security.

McCallum reported a 48% increase in investigations into state threats over the past year, identifying Iran, Russia, and China as primary concerns.

He cautioned that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly involving Israel and Iran-backed groups, poses a risk of escalating attacks in the U.K.

As tensions rise, McCallum highlighted the potential for Iranian aggression to broaden, with British individuals possibly being targeted on UK soil.

The surge in Iranian plots has been particularly notable since the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, marking an unprecedented rate of activity.

Since March 2017, MI5 has disrupted 43 late-stage terror plots in the U.K., with a concerning rise in investigations involving minors.

Currently, 13% of individuals investigated for terrorism-related activities by MI5 are under the age of 18, a threefold increase over the past three years.

The official terror threat level in the U.K. is categorized as 'substantial', indicating a likely attack.

McCallum emphasized that Russian military intelligence is attempting to create chaos in Britain and Europe, utilizing criminal elements to achieve their goals.

He reported that both Russia and Iran are increasingly hiring British criminals and private intelligence officers to carry out illegal activities.

Despite the absence of widespread terrorist violence in Britain, McCallum described the current threat landscape as the most complex in history due to the interplay of hostile states and individual attackers.

He noted that Iran has been behind numerous plots in Britain, increasingly utilizing criminals as proxies to execute these attacks.