At least two people were killed in a suspected terrorist attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, northern England, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The incident occurred in Crumpsall, north Manchester, after a car was deliberately driven into members of the public, followed by a stabbing. Three other individuals remain in serious condition following the assault.

Police confirmed that the incident took place outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road at 9:31 a.m. A public alert led officers to the scene, where they discovered both the ramming and stabbing incidents had occurred. Armed police were deployed, and the suspected attacker was shot dead at the scene.

Emergency services responded rapidly to the situation, ensuring that worshippers inside the synagogue were safely evacuated. The attack occurred while Yom Kippur services were underway, a time when synagogues are typically at their busiest, with large gatherings for prayer, reflection, and forgiveness rituals.

Greater Manchester Police declared operation PLATO, the national security code enacted when armed officers are mobilized to respond to an active attack. In line with this declaration, armed patrols were expanded across the region to safeguard public spaces and religious institutions.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence, describing the attack as "all the more horrific" because it was carried out on Yom Kippur. He announced that additional police assets would be deployed at synagogues across the UK to bolster security. Starmer also cut short his trip to Copenhagen, where he was attending a European security summit, to return to London. He will chair a session of the government's Cobra committee, which convenes during national emergencies.

In immediate response to the situation, four local hospitals were placed on lockdown to handle casualties and ensure public safety. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham urged the public to avoid the Crumpsall area while emergency and counterterrorism operations continued. He emphasized the heightened sense of fear and anxiety this attack has caused within the city’s Jewish community.

Authorities continue to investigate the attack, which is being treated as a terrorist incident. Security has been visibly tightened across Jewish sites in Manchester and beyond, reflecting national concern over potential copycat attacks or wider threats linked to religious hate crime.

Agencies