Eye on Extremism: March 16, 2026
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A string of recent synagogue attacks across North America and Europe has left security officials sounding the alarm bells. “We are in the midst of the most elevated and complex threat environment the Jewish community and this country has seen in modern history,” said Kerry Sleeper, chief of threat management and information sharing for the Secure Community Network, a Jewish security organization.
A new group calling itself Ashab Al Yamin has claimed responsibility for three attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe this week.
CEP Mentions
DW News: Why is Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei not appearing on camera?
Where is Mojtaba Khamenei? Days after being named Iran's supreme leader following Ali Khamenei's death, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared on camera. Hans-Jakob Schindler of the Counter Extremism Project tell DW what's known about him.
“The relationship between the cartels and Hezbollah is long-standing, significant and multifaceted,” the senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, Hans-Jakob Schindler, told The New York Sun. Mr. Schindler said the “strategically most significant part” of the relationship between the cartels and Hezbollah is financial cooperation in the international illicit drug trade. “This also includes money laundering activities that Hezbollah is now also able to offer other organized crime networks as a service,” he said, adding, “This role has only increased since the war with Israel following the attack of Hezbollah on Israel” the day after Hamas’s assault on October 7, 2023.
Bluewin: "The regime will fall on Tuesday", says Maybrit Illner's expert
[CEP Senior Director] Middle East and terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler doubted whether the current strategy would achieve the former in particular. The current aim is to bring about regime change through air strikes so that sufficient numbers of people from the security apparatus defect to the opposition side. In return, the Iranian regime would have a plan to drive up the economic costs for the USA and the world so that they would end the war for economic reasons. In his opinion, it should not come to that, because: "If the regime survives, we will see chaos."
United States
Reuters: Trump adviser says Iran 'terror premium' inflated oil prices for decades
Neutralizing Iran could make crude oil much cheaper because the threat posed by Tehran imposed a "terror premium" that inflated global oil prices for decades, a top White House adviser said in a report to be released on Monday. Peter Navarro, who leads the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, has written in a 13-page report that tensions with Iran have added a $5 to $15 per barrel premium to crude prices, as markets price the risk of attacks or disruptions through the critical oil transit route of the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters viewed a draft of the report prepared by the White House trade and manufacturing office.
A federal jury on Friday convicted eight people on terrorism charges over a shooting at a Texas immigration facility that federal prosecutors tied to antifa, the decentralized far-left movement that has become a target of the Trump administration.
A new Pentagon task force is racing to map the full scope of cartel networks that have spent nearly two decades forging operational ties with Iranian-backed militants — connections under renewed scrutiny as Iran’s proxy militias rejoin the fight following devastating American-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
Fox News: String of attacks connected to naturalized citizens raises national security questions
The United States is left vulnerable even by its own naturalized U.S. citizens from hostile foreign lands, proving a free country can be exposed to security risks by the very freedoms the Constitution endows, an expert warned on Fox News.
Fox News: Brother of Michigan synagogue attacker was Hezbollah commander, Israel alleges
The brother of Ayman Muhammad Ghazali, the accused Michigan synagogue attacker, was a Hezbollah terrorist commander who was killed in an Israeli strike days before the attack, Israeli intelligence revealed Sunday.
The Trump administration’s Religious Liberties Commission was wracked again this week over anti-Israel sentiment, as a second affiliated individual has exited while claiming it had been hijacked by a “Zionist political agenda.” Sameerah Munshi, a Muslim member of a board that advises the commission, announced late Thursday that she would be stepping down. Her reason, she said, was to protest the dismissal of commissioner Carrie Prejean Boller, who was ousted last month after she used a hearing on antisemitism to expound on her objections to Israel and Zionism.
The University of Florida said on Saturday that it is heeding a request from the Florida Federation of College Republicans to temporarily deactivate the chapter on the public school’s campus as it seeks to relaunch with new leadership.
The U.S. and Israeli war against the Iranian terror regime, which has orchestrated and abetted numerous attacks on civilians in America, the Jewish state and elsewhere, is getting in the way of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s efforts to fight hatred of Jews and Muslims in the empire state.
News 6: Are you a ‘terrorist?’ New Florida bill is heading to Gov. DeSantis’ desk
A new proposal has passed the Florida legislature that gives the state the power to label certain groups as terrorists. That bill — HB 1471 — was originally filed by state Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Hollywood) earlier this year, and it seeks to make a variety of changes to state law regarding terrorist organizations.
Belgium
VRT News: Belgian PM warns of growing threat of terrorism linked to Iran
The Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist) has warned about the growing threat of terrorism linked to Iran. Mr De Wever’s comments come following an explosion outside a synagogue in the Walloon city of Liège earlier this week.
European Union
Iran International: EU sanctions Iranian firm over cyber-attacks against member states
The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on an Iranian company over cyber-attacks targeting EU member states and partners, the Council of the EU said. The company, Emennet Pasargad, unlawfully accessed a French subscriber database and offered the data for sale on the dark web, the Council said in a statement.
France
Jewish News Syndicate: Two brothers arrested in France for ‘antisemitic terror’ plan
A 22-year-old engineering student and his 20-year-old brother have been arrested in France over a “deadly and antisemitic” plot, prosecutors said on Sunday. French authorities last week arrested the two, with dual Moroccan and Italian citizenship, on suspicion of planning antisemitic terrorist attacks, French media reported on Sunday, citing information received from counterterrorism prosecutors.
Netherlands
Reuters: Amsterdam police probe new blast claimed by same group that claimed Jewish school explosion
Dutch police are investigating an explosion that damaged an office building in Amsterdam and was claimed by the same extremist organisation which also claimed it was behind a recent blast at a Jewish school in the area, a police spokesperson said on Monday.
New York Times: Blast at Dutch School Is 2nd Antisemitic Attack in 2 Days, Officials Say
Explosive devices were set off at two Jewish institutions in the Netherlands within two days, Dutch officials said on Saturday, denouncing what they described as antisemitic attacks. On Saturday, Mayor Femke Halsema of Amsterdam said an overnight blast had damaged the outer wall of a Jewish school there, calling it a “targeted attack against the Jewish community.” On Friday, in Rotterdam, the police arrested four teenagers after an explosion started a brief fire at a synagogue early that morning. No one was injured in either episode.
Jewish News Syndicate: Dutch bank blast linked to attacks on Jewish sites
A low-intensity explosion caused minor damage outside a bank in a heavily Jewish part of Amsterdam on Sunday night, Dutch media reported, in what a local politician connected to recent attacks on a Jewish school in the Dutch capital, a synagogue in Rotterdam and another synagogue in Belgium.
Dutch police arrested four teenagers Friday in connection with an overnight fire at a synagogue in the port city of Rotterdam. The fire took place around 3:40 a.m., causing an explosion that damaged the entrance of the building, photos show. No injuries were reported, and the fire went out on its own, police said.
Associated Press: Dutch police probe suspected arson after explosion at Rotterdam synagogue
An explosion which caused a small fire at the entrance of a synagogue in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam early Friday is being treated as arson, police said.
United Kingdom
The Guardian: Antisemitism has ‘become normalised’ on UK campuses, says Union of Jewish Students
One in five students would be reluctant to, or would never, houseshare with a Jewish student, according to a survey by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) that says antisemitism has “become normalised” on UK campuses. A UJS poll of 1,000 students “of all faiths and none” found almost a quarter (23%) have seen behaviour that targets Jewish students for their religion or ethnicity and nearly half (47%) have witnessed justification of the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
Egypt
The Office for the Regulation of Terrorist Entities and Terrorists, chaired by Counselor Tariq Abu Zeid, issued a decree to permanently designate three prominent leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood on the national terrorism list.
Gaza Strip/West Bank
Reuters: Exclusive: Hamas holds talks with Trump-led board as Iran war strains Gaza plan
Envoys from U.S. President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" have met representatives of Hamas in Cairo in an effort to safeguard the Gaza ceasefire, under serious strain since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, three sources told Reuters. The weekend meeting is the first publicly reported since the start of the Iran war between the Palestinian militant group and the board, a new international body personally headed by Trump, which has been tasked with overseeing post-war Gaza.
Iran
Iran International: Military adviser appointment by Khamenei Jr draws online mockery
The appointment of a military adviser by Iran’s new Supreme Leader triggered a wave of ridicule on Iranian social media, with users mocking both the decision and the figure chosen for the role. Users on X and Instagram circulated the announcement with laughing emojis and sarcastic commentary, questioning the move and turning it into a fresh round of online satire.
Iran Wire: IRGC Warns U.S. Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford Is a Potential Target
In a statement issued on Monday, March 16, the spokesperson for the IRGC’s “Khatam al-Anbiya” Headquarters described the presence of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea as a “threat against the Islamic Republic” and warned that the carrier could become the IRGC’s next target. He said: “The logistics and service centers supporting the aforementioned carrier strike group in the Red Sea are considered targets for the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic, and there is no way to escape this predicament.”
Caspian Post: IRGC: Khamenei Approved War Plan in Case of US, Israel Attack
Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei approved a military action plan in advance in case of a potential attack by the US or Israel. The statement was made by Spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ali Mohammad Naeini, who said that the strategy had been endorsed by Khamenei before his death, The Caspian Post reports via Russian media.
Iran International: Mojtaba Khamenei says slain father’s appointees to remain in post for now
In a written decree attributed to Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered that officials who were directly appointed by his slain father should continue in their positions without requiring renewed appointments.
Jerusalem Post: Wikipedia cited IRGC-linked media over 78,000 times, 'Post' investigation reveals
Wikipedia has cited IRGC or Iranian-regime media at least 78,665 times across its English, Persian, Arabic, and Spanish-language versions, The Jerusalem Post found. Realistically, this means Wikipedia has closer to 100,000 references based on information from the propaganda arm of Iran's Islamic Regime. The findings suggest a systematic pattern of IRGC-linked media and editors infiltrating Wikipedia articles to frame the narrative of key topics such as Iran's politics and military.
Iran Wire: IRGC Pushes Plan to Withdraw Iran from 2026 World Cup: Report
According to information obtained by “IranWire” from an informed source, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic, acting on instructions from state institutions, has begun “unofficial” preliminary talks and inquiries with certain officials within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA about the possibility of “withdrawing from the 2026 World Cup.”
Iraq
Fox News: US warns Iraq must act against Iran-backed militia attacks on American assets
Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is facing mounting criticism for his government’s inability to stop pro-Iranian militias and the Islamic Republic of Iran from attacking American, French, Italian and Kurdish military personnel and facilities in Iraq.
Israel
Jewish News Syndicate: Suspect planning imminent terror attack arrested in Lod mosque
Security personnel arrested a man in Lod on suspicion that he was about to execute a terrorist attack “imminently,” the Israel Police said on Monday. Officers and detectives from the Lod police station, as well as Border Police undercover fighters from the Central District and the Police Investigations and Intelligence Division, located the 22-year-old suspect at the Da’wah Mosque in the Pardes Snir neighborhood of Lod last week, according to police.
Reuters: Israel says it has plans for at least three weeks of war as airstrikes pound Iran
Israel said on Monday it has detailed plans for at least three more weeks of war as its military pounded sites across Iran overnight, while Iranian drone attacks temporarily shut Dubai airport and hit a key oil facility in the United Arab Emirates.
Times of Israel: Medics responding to reported Hezbollah rocket impact in Nahariya
Medics are responding to reports of a rocket impact in the northern city of Nahariya, following a Hezbollah barrage on the area. The impact sparked a fire. It is not immediately clear if anyone was hurt.
Times of Israel: Injuries and heavy damage to homes as Iran fires multiple missile salvos at Israel
Iran fired several salvos of missiles at Israel on Monday, with impacts damaging homes and an apparent cluster bomb injuring one person in the central region of the country. The Iranians launched five barrages at Israel after midnight and into the afternoon. Though air defense systems worked to shoot down the missiles, some warheads impacted on residential areas, as did debris and fragments from interceptions.
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday it had begun a “targeted ground operation against key targets” in southern Lebanon, pushing more forces deeper into the area as part of an expanded buffer zone, after the Hezbollah terror group began attacking Israel earlier this month amid the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Times of Israel: Sa’ar denies reports of talks with Lebanon as Hezbollah keeps up fire on Israel
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denied reports on Sunday that Israel and Lebanon are set to hold direct talks in the coming days amid the fighting with Hezbollah, and demanded that Beirut first act against the terror group on its soil.
Lebanon
Jerusalem Post: Lebanon orders official media to stop calling Hezbollah 'resistance' – report
Lebanon has ordered its official media outlets to stop using the term “resistance” when referring to Hezbollah, and instead use the terror group’s name, Lebanese outlet Al Modon reported on Monday, citing a circular from the country’s information ministry.
Naharnet: Foreign Ministry slams Hezbollah over shooting at UNIFIL
In a Monday statement, the ministry recalled the government’s decision which prohibits “the military and security activities of Hezbollah.” It added that the ministry’s position in the matter is clear in which “no armed group operating outside the authority of the state” will be permitted to draw Lebanon further into instability in service of agendas that run counter to Lebanon’s national interests.
Naharnet: Charges filed against 4 Hezbollah members for carrying arms and missiles
State Commissioner to the Military Court, Judge Claude Ghanem, on Monday filed charges against four more Hezbollah members for possessing and transporting military weapons, media reports said. Two of them had been arrested in Ashrafieh, where guns and rifles were found inside their car. According to initial investigations, they were heading south, Al-Jadeed TV said.
Naharnet: Hezbollah clashes with Israeli forces trying to enter south Lebanon
Hezbollah said it targeted overnight Israeli troops in Khiam, Odaisseh and al-Taybeh. It also targeted troops and bases in the occupied Golan and north of Kfar Yuval in the Galilee Panhandle of northern Israel. Troops were also trying to enter Lebanese territories from the southern border towns of Yaroun and Maroun al-Ras, state-run National News Agency said.
Yemen
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have so far remained on the sidelines as the Iran war widens across the Middle East, raising questions about why — and when the battle-hardened group might join the fight. Iran has retaliated against the United States and Israel with missiles and drones, targeting American military bases and other locations in Gulf Arab countries, disrupting trade routes, choking fuel supplies and threatening regional air traffic.
Algeria
A series of US government assessments issued between 2021 and 2025 depict Algeria as an entrenched authoritarian system dominated by the military, with Washington expressing growing concern over political repression, limits on civil liberties, state-controlled economy and use of proxies involved in terrorist acts in the region.
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