Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamiyya has claimed four attacks on Jewish sites in Europe this week, including incidents in Liège, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, with a separate assault in Greece linked by several sources. Analysts suspect the group may be directed or sponsored by an outside actor — possibly the IRGC — and warn that online videos from the group could inspire copycat antisemitic attacks. International authorities and Jewish organizations are urging heightened security, coordinated investigation, and stronger protections for Jewish communities.
New Iran-Linked Militant Group Claims Four Attacks on Jewish Sites Across Europe — Analysts Warn of Broader Threat
A pedestrian walks past a synagogue on ABN Davidsplein in Rotterdam, western Netherlands on March 13, 2026 after an arson attack. A formerly unknown terrorist group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, claimed responsibility.(Getty Images)
A previously unknown militant group calling itself Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamiyya (The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right) has claimed responsibility for a string of attacks on Jewish targets across Europe over the past week.
Authorities and media reports link four incidents to the group: an explosive attack at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium; an overnight arson attack at a synagogue in Rotterdam; an explosive device detonated at a Jewish school in Amsterdam; and an additional assault at a Jewish site in Greece that several sources have associated with the organization, though officials gave no detailed description of the Greek incident.
Analyst Concerns and Possible Sponsors
Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the FDD’s Long War Journal, told reporters the group's initial written statement appeared "a little bit amateurish," but subsequent videos attributed to the organization led him to conclude "there's probably something more here to this organization." He said the conflict involving Iran may have spurred the group's actions and that he "suspect[s] this organization is being directed" by an outside entity.
"The IRGC has been active in Europe and has attempted to eliminate or assassinate dissidents," Truzman said, while also acknowledging he could not rule out links to other regional militias.
Security Risks and Community Response
Truzman warned the group's online videos — which are beginning to circulate and attract views — could inspire copycat antisemitic attacks by radicalized individuals. He noted the incidents so far have been largely unsophisticated and have taken place at night, but cautioned tactics could escalate to target people during busy daytime hours.
Military members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in western Tehran, Iran
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X that the string of attacks was carried out by "a jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy," and the World Jewish Congress said analysts believe Ashab al‑Yamin may be part of "Iran’s expanding network of proxy actors operating far beyond the Middle East." Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister, described the attacks as "part of a troubling pattern" of networks linked to the Iranian axis expanding activity in European cities.
The U.S. Embassy in the Netherlands issued an alert advising U.S. citizens to maintain heightened situational awareness following targeted explosive incidents in the country and elsewhere in Europe. The alert reiterated that terrorists may attack with little or no warning and listed a range of potential targets, from transportation hubs to places of worship.
The U.S. State Department did not provide a public comment on whether it had been tracking Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamiyya prior to these incidents. Israel’s National Security Council has advised Israeli citizens traveling abroad to avoid visiting sites identified as Jewish or Israeli and to conceal items that might identify them as Jewish or Israeli.
Jewish community groups and international authorities have called for coordinated, urgent action to investigate the group’s links, strengthen protections for Jewish sites, and dismantle any support networks behind the attacks.
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