In an important security development, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that the attack that targeted a Jewish synagogue in the state of Michigan is considered a “terrorist act influenced by Hezbollah,” indicating a link between the incident and regional events that extend beyond the borders of the United States.
A report by journalist Yeshi Bar-Yosef stated that the FBI stated that the attack, which consisted of storming the “Temple Israel” synagogue with a car, was classified as “a terrorist act that was influenced by the Hezbollah organization and was aimed at targeting the Jewish community.”
The perpetrator, named Iman Razzazi, is an American citizen of Lebanese origin. He stormed the temple with his car while about 100 people from the community were inside. After the collision, he got out of the car and started shooting inside the place.
In a related context, the American network NBC had reported about two weeks ago that Razzazi had lost two of his brothers, who were believed to belong to Hezbollah, in an Israeli raid inside Lebanon, while a Lebanese source confirmed to the network that the two brothers were indeed members of the party.
CNN also reported, citing sources in US law enforcement, that the perpetrator had previously been registered in government databases due to his relationship with individuals suspected of belonging to Hezbollah, although he was not officially classified as an element of the organization.
The attack occurred in one of the largest synagogues in the United States, in West Bloomfield, Michigan, where the car crashed into the wall of the building before the attacker opened fire. The accident resulted in the security chief sustaining minor injuries as a result of being run over, while a number of policemen suffocated due to smoke inhalation, without any injuries among children or workers inside the temple.
The perpetrator was killed at the scene, and the authorities announced that he died as a result of a “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.”
This development puts Hezbollah’s name once again in the spotlight within the United States, in a security issue that may have political and media repercussions that go beyond just this incident, especially in light of the growing regional tensions and their impact on Lebanese communities abroad.
