Belgium deploys military to guard Jewish sites after Iran-linked group claims Europe attacks

Belgium is ramping up information for its Jewish organization aft a caller synagogue attack heightened fears crossed Europe, arsenic a recently emerged violent group pinch suspected ties to Iran has claimed work for a bid of strikes connected Jewish targets crossed nan continent.

Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, translated arsenic "The Islamic Movement of nan Companions of nan Right," said it carried retired aggregate attacks recently, including nan March 9 detonation astatine a synagogue successful Liège, Belgium, according to a Fox News Digital report. The group besides claimed work for an arson onslaught connected a synagogue successful Rotterdam, Belgium, and an explosive onslaught connected a Jewish schoolhouse successful Amsterdam. A 4th incident astatine a Jewish tract successful Greece has been linked to nan group by respective sources, though specifications astir that onslaught stay limited. 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said March 15 that "a jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy" was down nan attacks, adding that "the IRGC continues to sponsor and export panic crossed nan globe," referring to nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

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U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, visits nan tract of a synagogue damaged by an detonation early connected Monday, successful Liege, Belgium, March 9, 2026.  (Yves Herman/Reuters)

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described nan blast extracurricular a synagogue successful nan eastbound metropolis of Liège arsenic a "despicable antisemitic act" that straight targeted nan country’s Jewish community.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever responded connected X Monday morning, writing, "Antisemitism is an onslaught connected our values and our society, and we must combat it unequivocally. We guidelines successful solidarity pinch nan Jewish organization successful Liège and passim nan country."

Joe Truzman, elder investigation expert astatine nan Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of nan FDD’s Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital that nan war successful Iran has apt "compelled nan group, for whoever is down this, to commencement launching these attacks." Truzman said he "suspect[s] this statement is being directed" and that location is "an entity down it." 

In consequence to nan onslaught successful Liège, Belgian officials announced accrued protection measures.

"To protect our Jewish community, we are deploying subject personnel to support information connected our streets. The information of each national must beryllium guaranteed," Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken wrote connected X Monday. "Antisemitism and hatred against Jews will ne'er beryllium tolerated. We will guidelines patient against it, always."

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Police unafraid nan tract adjacent a synagogue damaged by an detonation early connected Monday, successful Liege, Belgium, March 9, 2026.  (Yves Herman/Reuters)

The move drew praise from U.S. officials.

"Last week, I urged Belgian officials to adequately protect Jewish communities—thank you, Defense Minister Francken and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prévot, for stepping up pinch accrued information measures," Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism astatine nan Department of State, wrote, adding that he looks guardant to moving pinch Belgian counterparts "to safeguard nan Jewish community."

Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers besides welcomed nan decision, calling it a uncommon illustration of action alternatively than rhetoric.

"We perceive a batch of talk astir combating antisemitism and different forms of hatred — but it’s satisfying to spot applicable action, for illustration this, to defender nan nationalist quadrate against brute violent violence targeting Jews and others," Rogers wrote connected X. "Liberty successful nan tweets, bid successful nan streets."

Belgium has agelong maintained heightened information astir Jewish institutions pursuing past attacks, including nan 2014 shooting astatine nan Jewish Museum successful Brussels that killed 4 group — 1 of nan deadliest antisemitic attacks successful nan country’s modern history.

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Two women clasp adjacent nan segment of a panic onslaught extracurricular Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue successful Manchester, England, Oct. 2, 2025. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Still, Jewish organizations pass nan existent infinitesimal reflects a renewed and vulnerable escalation.

"This criminal enactment against a Jewish location of believe is profoundly alarming and portion of a broader and troubling emergence successful antisemitic incidents and convulsive extremism crossed Europe," nan World Jewish Congress said in a March 10 statement.

Fox News Digital newsman Beth Bailey and Reuters contributed to this report.