Belgium Deploys Military to Guard Jewish Sites Following Attacks Claimed by Iran-Linked Group

Belgium has intensified security measures to protect its Jewish community following a recent synagogue attack, as a newly emerged terrorist group with suspected Iranian connections claims responsibility for multiple strikes across Europe.

Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, translated as “The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right,” has claimed responsibility for several recent attacks, including a March 9 explosion at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium. The group also asserted involvement in an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam, Belgium, and an explosive attack targeting a Jewish school in Amsterdam. A fourth incident at a Jewish site in Greece has been linked to the group, though specific details remain limited.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated on March 15 that “a jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy” was behind these attacks, adding that “the IRGC continues to sponsor and export terror across the globe,” referring to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin condemned the Liège synagogue blast as a “despicable antisemitic act” directly targeting the Jewish community. Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed solidarity on social media, declaring that “antisemitism is an attack on our values and our society, and we must combat it unequivocally.”

Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suggested to media that ongoing regional conflicts may have “compelled the group, for whoever is behind this, to start launching these attacks.” Truzman expressed suspicion that the organization is being directed by a larger entity.

In response to the Liège attack, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken announced enhanced protection measures on social media: “To protect our Jewish community, we are deploying military personnel to support security on our streets. The safety of every citizen must be guaranteed. Antisemitism and hatred against Jews will never be tolerated. We will stand firm against it, always.”

The Belgian government’s decisive action drew praise from U.S. officials. Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, thanked Belgian officials for implementing increased security measures following his earlier appeals. Undersecretary of State Sarah B. Rogers welcomed the decision as “a rare example of action rather than rhetoric” in combating antisemitism.

Belgium has maintained heightened security around Jewish institutions since the deadly 2014 shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels that claimed four lives—one of the most severe antisemitic attacks in the country’s modern history. However, Jewish organizations warn that the current situation represents a dangerous escalation in antisemitic violence.

The World Jewish Congress expressed deep concern in a March 10 statement, characterizing the Liège incident as “part of a broader and troubling rise in antisemitic incidents and violent extremism across Europe.”

This series of attacks comes amid rising antisemitism throughout Europe and North America, with Jewish communities facing increased threats since regional conflicts intensified in the Middle East. Security experts note that the emergence of new terrorist groups with potential state sponsorship presents a particularly concerning development for European security services.

The Belgian government’s deployment of military personnel represents one of the most robust responses to antisemitic threats seen in recent years, reflecting the seriousness with which authorities view the current threat landscape. Law enforcement agencies across multiple European countries are now coordinating their investigations into these connected attacks, working to determine the full extent of the network behind Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya and its potential ties to Iran.