New Group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin Claims Explosions at Dutch and Belgian Jewish Sites Amid Iran-Ties Allegations
Newly formed group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya has claimed responsibility for a series of nighttime explosions at Jewish-linked sites across Europe — including a blast at a school in Amsterdam (described by Dutch officials as the second antisemitic attack in two days), a synagogue in Rotterdam, a synagogue in Liège and an unspecified location in Greece. Israel’s foreign ministry has publicly linked the group to an Iranian proxy and security analysts suspect direction or backing from the IRGC or an Iraqi militia; the attacks have been relatively unsophisticated but accompanied by online propaganda videos that authorities fear could inspire copycat antisemitic violence.
📌 Key Facts
- A group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya has claimed responsibility for four attacks on Jewish targets across Europe.
- The four attacks named in the claim include blasts at an Amsterdam Jewish school, a Rotterdam synagogue, a Liège (Belgium) synagogue and an additional unspecified site in Greece.
- The claim and related reporting were published on March 16, 2026.
- Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly described the group as tied to an Iranian proxy.
- Security analysts suspect the group may be receiving direction or backing from Iran’s IRGC or from an Iraqi militia.
- The incidents so far occurred at night and have been characterized as relatively unsophisticated attacks.
- Propaganda videos released by the group are gaining traction online, raising concern about possible copycat antisemitic violence.
📊 Relevant Data
Between 2015 and 2023, the Netherlands granted asylum to over 100,000 individuals, with significant numbers from Syria (around 30,000) and other Muslim-majority countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, contributing to demographic shifts in cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
State of Migration 2024: Steps taken in 2023 to get a grip on migration — Government of the Netherlands
In Rotterdam, approximately 13% of the population is Muslim, with about half of Turkish origin and a quarter of Moroccan origin, and the city's population growth from 2014 to 2024 has been influenced by immigration, including family reunification policies that allow relatives of recognized refugees to join them.
Rotterdam Population 2026 — World Population Review
In Belgium, the Muslim population is estimated at 4% to 7.6% of the total, with growth driven by immigration and higher fertility rates (2.6 children per woman for Muslims compared to 1.6 for non-Muslims), and Liège has seen demographic changes due to international migration, which increased Belgium's population by 0.52% in recent years despite more deaths than births.
Despite deaths exceeding births, immigrants are behind Belgium's population growth of 0.52%, bringing the total to nearly 12 million. — Europe and Arabs
On January 29, 2026, the European Union designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, following a series of attacks and threats linked to the group, including those targeting Jewish communities in Europe amid the ongoing war in Iran.
EU designates IRGC as terror organization in policy reversal — Jewish Insider
Family reunification and asylum policies in the Netherlands, including the EU Asylum and Migration Pact implemented in 2024, have facilitated the entry of relatives from Muslim-majority countries, contributing to the growth of immigrant communities in urban areas like Amsterdam, with over 50,000 family reunification permits issued between 2014 and 2023.
Asylum and family reunification: latest developments — IND.nl
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Identifies the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya as claiming responsibility for four attacks on Jewish targets across Europe, including the previously reported Amsterdam school and Rotterdam synagogue blasts plus a Liège synagogue and an unspecified site in Greece.
- Reports that Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly described the group as tied to an Iranian proxy, and that security analysts suspect direction or backing from the IRGC or an Iraqi militia.
- Details that the attacks have so far been carried out at night, characterized as relatively unsophisticated, but are accompanied by propaganda videos gaining traction online, raising concern about copycat antisemitic violence.