Counter-terrorism detectives are working to verify the authenticity of a video purporting to show militants launching drones carrying radioactive substances towards the Israeli embassy, after Metropolitan Police evacuated Kensington Gardens to examine unidentified objects found within the Royal Park.
The footage, released by a group styling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, depicted individuals wearing white hazmat-style protective suits handling unmanned aerial vehicles marked with the organisation’s insignia before one appeared to take off during evening hours from what seemed to be local parkland.
The group, which has claimed responsibility for multiple incidents since hostilities erupted between the United States, Israel and Iran—including an arson attack destroying ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity—stated the alleged drone operation represented its transition to a “second phase” of activities.
Metropolitan Police confirmed the Israeli embassy had not been attacked whilst emphasising that urgent enquiries were underway to establish whether the video represented a genuine threat and if any connection existed between the footage and materials discovered in Kensington Gardens.
“Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claim to have targeted the nearby Embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances,” the force stated, adding that investigators were assessing “a number of discarded items” found within the park.
Officers deployed to the scene included personnel wearing specialist protective equipment—a precautionary measure authorities acknowledged might alarm residents and the wider public despite current intelligence suggesting no elevated risk to public safety.
Cordons established around Kensington Gardens prevented all access to the historic green space and surrounding areas whilst forensic teams conducted their examination. The Met urged people to stay away from the vicinity during investigative work.
The video’s specific claims that two drones had been loaded with “radioactive and dangerous carcinogenic material” could not be immediately verified, with counter-terrorism specialists working to determine whether the footage represented operational capability or propaganda designed to generate fear.
Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia has emerged as a recurring claimant for attacks targeting Jewish or Israeli interests in London since regional tensions intensified, though authorities have not publicly confirmed the group’s actual operational capacity versus its claims of responsibility.
The proximity of Kensington Gardens to diplomatic premises including the Israeli embassy has historically made the area a focus for both legitimate protests and potentially hostile activity.
