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Analysis
Jerusalem Post: The US sanctioned Iraqi militias, but will the militias be affected?
The US Department of State designated four Iraqi militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) on September 17. The four groups include Iranian-backed militias Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kata’ib al-Imam Ali. All of these groups were previously designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT). The statement also accuses Iran of supporting and enabling these groups to “carry out attacks across Iraq.” This adds to a growing list of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that have been designated or sanctioned by the US. This raises a question about how effective these designations are and also what may come next.
VSquare: Crossing NATO Lines: Tracing the GRU’s Explosive Parcel Bombs
This spy story begins several decades ago, during the Soviet era, on a Soviet submarine somewhere between Murmansk and the Mediterranean Sea. Its protagonists, Andrei, Nikolai, and two Alexanders, met at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. They all served on the same submarine, which penetrated the sea’s depths while hiding from NATO radar.
ZDF: Right-wing hate from the Internet - Terrorgram as a school for assassins
Right-wing extremist terror attacks are a constant source of shock and occur in many different countries around the world. Local investigators and the media often find it difficult to see more behind them than the actions of misguided individual perpetrators. In contrast, the ZDFinfo documentary "The new terror threat: Terrorgram - from group chat to assassin" paints a different picture. According to the documentary, there are links between numerous acts. They come together in chat groups such as "Terrorgram". Future assassins often receive their ideological and technical tools there.
Euronews: Dormant or resurgent? Islamic State group’s recent comeback, explained
Turkey has arrested at least 161 suspected members of the so-called Islamic State (IS) this month, amid concerns that the jihadist group and its affiliates are staging a comeback and posing a growing threat across the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said last week that the suspects — who were detained across nearly half of the country's 81 provinces — were active within IS and providing financial support. This followed a warning from UN counterterrorism experts last month, who said there had been a resurgence in activity by Islamic State offshoots in the Sahel — in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — as well as by IS in Syria and Iraq.
United States
Associated Press: US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate Gaza ceasefire and hostage release
The United States once again vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution Thursday that had demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, saying that the effort did not go far enough in condemning Hamas. The 14 other members of the United Nations’ most powerful body voted in favor of the resolution, which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory.
Independent: Trump claims he is talking with Taliban about deal to retake Bagram airbase. Experts say it would amount to reinvasion
Donald Trump has said he is negotiating with the Taliban to retake control of Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, a development that would take huge American military resources to sustain and represent a stunning turnaround from the Islamist group.
The Guardian: A US neo-Nazi fight club is using Charlie Kirk’s killing to recruit new members
The same American-born neo-fascist fight clubs surging in numbers across the US and around the world, have capitalized on the assassination of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk, to entice new recruits with promises of vengeance and racist camaraderie. These so-called “active clubs” are a loose collective of neo-Nazi mixed martial arts groups that gather at local gyms and parks to train, tapping into existing gangs of white nationalists or adjacent organizations. Global authorities view them as perhaps one of the most organized and pernicious domestic terrorism threats, emanating from far-right political ideologies.
Independent: The sinister role of ‘black-pilling’ in the murder of Charlie Kirk
As the motives of the suspected assassin are still being investigated, markings on the bullet casings point to a dark movement in meme culture - where young people fantasise about disrupting and destroying the world through chaos.
New York Times: Can Trump Actually Designate Antifa a Terrorist Group?
Mr. Trump and his administration are using the killing of Mr. Kirk — and criticism of Mr. Kirk from some liberals — to threaten to use federal power to punish what it claims without evidence is a vast left-wing network that funds and incites violence. Democrats have warned that Mr. Trump appears to be using the killing as a pretext to suppress political dissent.
Independent: Group behind Project 2025 urges FBI to brand ‘transgender extremists’ a domestic terror threat
The influential conservative think tank behind Project 2025 has urged the FBI to treat "violent transgender ideology" as a new domestic terror threat. In a petition launched on Thursday, the Heritage Foundation — along with its spin-off group, the Oversight Project — called on the agency to add "Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violent Extremism" aka "TIVE" to its list of domestic extremist groups so that it could “detect, disrupt, and dismantle TIVE cells.”
Fox News: Trump defends labeling antifa a 'terrorist organization' as he targets left-wing extremism
President Donald Trump defended his latest efforts to crack down on far-left extremism following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on "The Story" Thursday. A week after Kirk’s assassination, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that he would designate the radical left-wing, anti-fascist antifa group as a "terrorist organization."
Reuters: Democratic-led US Senate resolution seeks recognition of Palestinian state
A group of U.S. senators introduced on Thursday the first Senate resolution to urge recognition of a Palestinian state, further signaling a shift in Washington sentiment toward Israel nearly two years into its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Democratic-led measure is unlikely to pass the chamber where President Donald Trump's Republicans have a 53-47 majority. Trump said on Thursday he disagreed with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over whether to recognize a Palestinian state and no Republicans have joined efforts to do so.
Jerusalem Post: October 7 Massacre lawsuit filed for 140 people against terrorist groups and state sponsors
A lawsuit by over 140 family members and victims of the October 7 massacre against the terrorist organization perpetrators and their state sponsors was filed by the Anti-Defamation League and Crowell & Moring with the Columbia District Court on Thursday, in their second legal action on behalf of US citizens impacted by the 2023 Hamas-led pogrom.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency: University leaders among 100+ signatories to Jewish letter decrying Trump’s campus antisemitism wars
A university president, a co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, and the executive leadership of a leading anti-Zionist group are among more than 100 names to sign onto a Jewish open letter criticizing President Donald Trump’s “disingenuous claims of antisemitism to attack colleges and deport students.”
Washington Post: Man charged with hate crime in killing of trans woman in D.C.
A man has been charged with a hate crime murder after witnesses told police he harassed, then fatally shot a transgender woman walking past him on the sidewalk in Northeast Washington one Saturday morning earlier this summer.
Oklahoma City Free Press: Oklahoma City man pleads guilty to federal hate crime
A 28-year-old Oklahoma City man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to a hate crime charge for attacking a Black man last year. Prosecutors said Braden Birdsong admitted in court that he assaulted the victim, identified in filings as D.G., on Aug. 25, 2023, because of the victim’s race. Court records show Birdsong, who is white, punched D.G. in the head several times while using racial slurs. D.G. was working outside a restaurant when the attack happened and suffered bodily injury.
Europe
Euro News: EU will step up security of Jews in Europe against “troubling” antisemitism
The European Commission reacted to fears expressed by more than 100 European rabbis of a “mass exodus of European Jews,” following recent unprecedented acts of antisemitic violence in Europe. The European Commission on Friday condemned “those who are importing” the war in Gaza to Europe and will “step up” its protection of Jewish citizens, a Commission spokesperson told Euronews.
Belgium
Jerusalem Post: 'Is there a future for Jews in Belgium?' Belgium symposium asks
“Is there a future for Jews in Belgium?” was the central question at the International Symposium on Antisemitism in Belgium this week. The symposium, organized by the Jewish Information and Documentation Center (JID), brought 300 participants to address concrete responses to rising hatred and discrimination.
France
Reuters: Suspect in 1982 attack on Paris Jewish restaurant arrested in West Bank
France welcomed news on Friday that a suspect in an attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris 43 years ago, in which six people were killed and at least 20 others injured, had been detained by Palestinian authorities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X that the arrest had been made possible by President Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday, "enabling us to request extradition".
Germany
Deutsche Welle: Merz says some Israel criticism is antisemitism
The Merz administration has been more vocal than the previous government in its criticism of Israel's campaign in the Gaza Strip. But his government still opposes EU sanctions on Israel over the attacks on the Palestinian territory. Merz rejected "criticism of Israel" if it serves as a pretext for antisemitism. Criticism of the Israeli government must be possible, Merz said, "but our country harms its own soul when this criticism becomes a pretext for hatred of Jews—or when it even leads to demands that the Federal Republic turn away from Israel."
Independent: ‘Jews not allowed, can’t stand you’: Outrage after antisemitic sign hung in store in Germany
A shopkeeper in Germany has sparked nationwide outrage after posting an antisemitic sign in the window banning Jews from the store. The message, which was placed on the door of a shop in the northern town of Flensburg, declared “Jews not allowed”, adding: “Nothing personal, nothing antisemitic – I just can’t stand you.”
United Kingdom
Reuters: UK, Ireland set out new framework to address legacy of Northern Ireland's 'Troubles'
Britain and Ireland agreed a new framework on Friday to address the legacy of decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland and replace a controversial British law that breached human rights and angered families of people killed in the "Troubles". The agreement fulfilled a pledge by Britain's Labour government to scrap the previous Conservative government's Legacy Act. A section of that law offered immunity from prosecution for ex-soldiers and militants who cooperate with a new investigative body - a provision that was ruled incompatible with human rights law.
The Telegraph: Inside the British peace plan upending decades of Western unity on Palestine
European and Arab states have rallied behind a British blueprint to revive the Middle East peace process, a move likely to formalise one of the most significant rifts in the transatlantic alliance for decades. An eight-point “framework for peace” drafted by the Foreign Office – details of which have been disclosed to The Telegraph – is intended as a last-ditch effort to keep the two-state solution alive, despite fierce opposition from Israel and the United States.
The Telegraph: Trump: I banned Sadiq Khan from state visit events
Donald Trump has claimed he banned Sir Sadiq Khan from attending events put on for his second state visit to Britain. The US president said the Mayor of London “wanted to be there”, but he personally demanded he be sidelined. The snub is the latest broadside in the war of words between the two men that dates back to 2017, when the president criticised the mayor’s response to the London Bridge terror attack. It comes after Sir Sadiq accused Trump of fuelling “divisive, far-Right politics” on the eve of the state visit.
The Telegraph: The UK is recognising Palestine as a state – what does this mean?
Sir Keir Starmer will formally recognise Palestine as a state now Donald Trump has concluded his UK state visit. The prime minister announced in July plans to follow France in recognising Palestine in response to rising concerns over Israel’s war on Gaza. Sir Keir said the UK would recognise statehood unless a ceasefire was agreed – and not until Israel committed to a two-state solution and pledged not to annex the West Bank.
BBC: 'We must find those behind racist attack on child'
A councillor has said the "horrible people" who shot a young girl with an air gun in a racially-motivated attack need to be brought to justice. Police have carried out extra patrols in the area of Charlton Road in Bristol this week after the girl was hit three times by air gun pellets in an incident on 2 September.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan International: Taliban Widens Broadband Ban, Blocks Fibre Optic In Herat
The Taliban has cut fibre optic internet in Herat, adding the western province to the growing list of areas where broadband services have been shut down, sources told Afghanistan International on Thursday. Local residents said the outage began on 18 September. The Taliban-appointed governor of Herat has reportedly ordered money exchangers and businesses to obtain special permits to access the internet, with wireless connections restricted to registered phone numbers.
Afghanistan International: Taliban Clerics Impose New Restrictions On Funerals In Balkh
The Taliban’s Ulema council in Balkh has introduced new restrictions on funeral rites as part of a decree issued by the group’s leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, limiting wedding, mourning and pilgrimage ceremonies. The clerics have banned funeral gatherings in places other than the deceased’s home and prohibited the participation of women except for immediate relatives.
Long War Journal: Taliban rejects US attempt to return to Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base
The Taliban immediately spurned US efforts to return to Bagram Air Base after President Donald Trump said, “We want that base back” on September 18, 2021. Bagram Air Base was the key hub for operations that targeted the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and the Islamic State and housed thousands of terrorists in its prison before the US abandoned the facility in July 2021, before its final withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Gaza Strip
Jerusalem Post: Why did Hamas trot out Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad to show he’s alive?
Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad appeared for the first time on in an interview, since the Israeli strike on Hamas members in Doha on September 9. He appeared on Wednesday, September 18, on Al Jazeera. Hamad is considered to be one of the six remaining key Hamas leaders who were at the meeting in Doha, Qatar, during the Israeli airstrike. It is unclear whether any of the leaders were killed or wounded. Qatar buried those killed in the attack, including one Qatari. However, the names of those killed and what became of the Hamas leaders who were apparently in the same building have not been fully revealed.
Times of Israel: Hamas official who survived Doha strike threatens Israel, warns Gaza op endangers hostages
Hamas senior official Bassem Naim, one of the targets of Israel’s attempted strike on top leaders in Doha, threatened Thursday that the IDF’s operation to take over Gaza City runs the risk of harming the hostages still held captive by the terror group. “The operation in Gaza City will be met with fierce resistance, and the death and destruction that the enemy tries to bring to Gaza’s streets will befall its soldiers,” the Hamas politburo member said in an interview with the Qatari outlet Al-Araby, in his first appearance since being targeted in the September 9 strike.
Times of Israel: Four IDF soldiers killed in roadside bomb attack in southern Gaza’s Rafah
Four Israeli soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in a roadside bomb attack in southern Gaza’s Rafah on Thursday morning, the military announced hours later. The slain soldiers were named by the Israel Defense Forces as Maj. Omri Chai Ben Moshe, 26, from Tzafria; Cpt. Eran Shelem, 23, from Ramat Yohanan; Lt. Eitan Avner Ben Itzhak, 22, from Har Bracha; and Lt. Ron Arieli, 20, from Hadera.
Iran
Reuters: Iran's deputy foreign minister criticises European powers over sanctions plan
Iran on Friday criticised a move by European powers to impose international sanctions, opens new tab by the end of the month if Tehran does not meet conditions, including access for U.N. nuclear inspectors. "What Europeans are doing is politically biased and politically motivated ... They are wrong on different levels by trying to misuse the mechanism embedded in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters in Geneva.
Iraq
Associated Press: Accused French Islamic State members held in Syria sent to Iraq for trial, officials say
Forty-seven French citizens who had been held in detention in northeast Syria on suspicion of being members of the Islamic State group have been handed over to Iraq for prosecution, Iraqi security officials said. Three Iraqi security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly told The Associated Press on Thursday that the French prisoners will be tried on terrorism charges in Iraq.
Kurdistan24: ISIS Ambush in Kirkuk Leaves One Injured, Another Kidnapped
Two Kurdish men were ambushed by ISIS gunmen on Thursday in the Altun Kupri sub-district of Kirkuk, leaving one injured and the other kidnapped, according to Kurdistan24 correspondent Hemin Dalo. Local police confirmed that the victims, identified as Pala Najmadin and Saman Wahid, were attacked between the villages of Zardk and Bibani. The assailants reportedly searched their belongings before filming a video on Najmadin’s phone, in which they declared they had captured an “infidel.” Najmadin, a defense and emergency policeman, was shot twice and left for dead.
Israel
New York Times: Rifts Grow Between Netanyahu and His Security Chiefs
Top military and security officials have been at odds with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently over three critical policies: his decisions to take over Gaza City, the enclave’s main urban center, and to strike at senior Hamas officials in Qatar, and his approach to negotiations on ending the war. Mr. Netanyahu’s hardline stance on all three issues has not only deepened his isolation internationally but has also sharpened questions at home about where he is taking Israel. His actions have shaken Israel’s strategic relations with Arab states, even as President Trump wants to see those expand, and have prompted condemnation and sanctions from some traditional allies.
Jewish News Syndicate: ‘Your time will come,’ Katz warns Houthi boss
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday said that Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Houthis militia in Yemen, and his government would be sent to “the depths of hell.” Katz wrote this on X following the launch of an unmanned aerial vehicle on Thursday that exploded in the courtyard of a hotel in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat.
Times of Israel: Houthi drone smashes into entrance of Eilat hotel; missile sparks sirens in center
A drone fired by Yemen’s Houthis hit the entrance of a hotel in Eilat on Thursday evening, causing damage but no injuries. In the following hours, two more drones from Yemen were intercepted, and later in the evening, the Houthis fired a missile at Israel, which sparked sirens throughout the country’s center but was also shot down by Israeli air defenses.
Times of Israel: IDF busts West Bank terror cell manufacturing rockets to be launched at Israel
The Israeli military said Friday it had caught a Palestinian terror cell in the Ramallah area of the West Bank that had been building rockets intended to be launched at Israeli targets. The raid came after the military said troops last week found a crude rocket that a terror cell had launched from the Palestinian town of Kafr Ni’ma as part of a test.
Times of Israel: After deadly attack, IDF chief halts Gaza aid entering from Jordan; Allenby Crossing shut
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Friday that he instructed a halt to the entry of Gaza aid from Jordan until the investigation into the deadly attack a day earlier was completed, as the Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan was declared shut until further notice.
Jerusalem Post: Allenby Crossing attack highlights rising terror threat from Jordan
The terrorist attack at the Allenby crossing on Thursday illustrates the increasing concerns Israeli officials have about threats from the Kingdom of Jordan over the past several years. The attack was very similar to one last September. There are three border crossings with Jordan: one in Eilat, one at Allenby Bridge near the Dead Sea, and one near Beit She’an in the North. The Allenby crossing is important for trucks and other items entering the West Bank. It is also a main crossing for Palestinians and some foreign nationals.
Times of Israel: Two soldiers killed by knifeman driving Gaza-bound aid truck at West Bank-Jordan crossing
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in a shooting and stabbing attack near Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan on Thursday. The assailant was a Jordanian who had been driving a humanitarian aid truck headed for the Gaza Strip.
Lebanon
Times of Israel: Wave of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon targets Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force
Israel said on Thursday it had launched a fresh wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon to prevent the terror group from rebuilding in the area. Before the strikes, the IDF issued evacuation warnings for four sites in southern Lebanon, before later calling to clear the vicinity surrounding two additional buildings.
Naharnet: US envoy to pressure army to expedite disarmament plan in Beirut visit
U.S. envoy Morgan Ortgus will pressure the Lebanese army command to accelerate the implementation of its plan to disarm Hezbollah north and south of the Litani River as she visits Lebanon this weekend, media reports said Friday. Al-Binaa said that, according to sources, Ortgus will arrive Saturday in Lebanon to meet with the five-member ceasefire monitoring committee -- France, the U.S., Lebanon, Israel, and the UNIFIL -- over the disarmament plan and its implementation. She will not meet with Lebanese leaders and politicians, the daily said.
Naharnet: Johnson says army has done 'admirable work to disarm Hezbollah' but 'more is needed'
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson said that “if Lebanon continues down the path it is on now, it can shine with the light of new beginnings.” “With historic cabinet decisions in August and September to disarm all non-state groups in the country, the Lebanese government has a historic opportunity to reclaim Lebanon’s sovereignty for the Lebanese people,” Johnson noted, in a speech during a reception marking the 249th anniversary of the U.S. Independence Day.
Naharnet: Army says Thursday strikes on south Lebanon hindering disarmament plan
The Lebanese army, tasked to draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah, said Thursday that the Israeli strikes on south Lebanon risk slowing down Hezbollah's disarmament. "These assaults and violations obstruct the army's deployment in the south, and their continuation will hinder the implementation of its plan starting from the area south of the Litani River," the army said in a statement, adding that the attacks brought Israel's ceasefire "violations" to 4,500.
Qatar
Jerusalem Post: Qatar 'conquered the West,' aims to restore Islamic empire, ex-Mossad division head claims
Qatar has “conquered the West” and is building infrastructure to restore the Islamic empire, Dr. Udi Levy, former head of the Economic Warfare Division in the Mossad, claimed at the International Institute for Counterterrorism (ICT) Annual Conference at Reichman University on Wednesday. His remarks were delivered as part of a speech at the annual international counterterrorism conference, led by the ICT at Reichman University. Levy spoke about Qatar’s involvement in influence networks and funding organizations, calling for a renewed Western strategy.
Syria
Reuters: Iraq says senior Islamic State leader killed in Syria
The Iraqi counterterrorism service said on Friday that a senior Islamic State leader was killed in a security operation in Syria carried out in coordination with the U.S.-led international coalition.
The commander, Omar Abdul Qader Bassam, known as "Abdul Rahman Al-Halabi", was the group's head of external operations and security, the service said.
Kurdistan24: U.S.-Led Coalition Sends Reinforcements to Hasakah Province
The U.S.-led Global Coalition against ISIS deployed new military reinforcements to its base in the Hasakah province of northeastern Syria (Western Kurdistan) on Thursday, as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue with Damascus and regional stability.
Mali
Reuters: France suspends counterterrorism efforts with Mali over arrest
France has suspended counterterrorism cooperation with Mali and ordered two staff members of the Malian embassy and consulate to leave, the French foreign ministry said on Friday, while a source with knowledge of the matter said the move came after Bamako's arrest of a French intelligence agent in August.
Sudan
BBC: Seventy killed in drone strike on Sudan mosque – medic
More than 70 people have been killed following a drone strike on a mosque in Sudan's Darfur region, a senior medical source has told the BBC. Friday's attack in the city of el-Fasher has been blamed on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), but the group has not taken responsibility.
Reuters: Ethnically-driven killings in Sudan's war have jumped this year, UN says
Sudan has seen a significant rise in civilian killings during the first half of this year due to growing ethnic violence, largely in the western region of Darfur, the U.N. human rights office said on Friday. The conflict that erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has unleashed waves of ethnically-driven killings, caused mass displacement and created what the U.N. has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
Technology
Fox News: Experts sound alarm on extremism 'thriving' on apps like Discord
Center for Countering Digital Hate's Imran Ahmed joins 'Fox & Friends First' after President Trump warns America's children are being radicalized online.
The Times: Inside the darkest reaches of Discord — where young men celebrate death
The online platform, frequented by the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, is awash with graphic violence and breeding a new threat: nihilistic violent extremism.
Newsweek: Generating Jihad: How ISIS Could Use AI to Plan Its Next Attack
With artificial intelligence increasingly becoming a part of the everyday lives of Americans, so too are malicious actors seeking to exploit emerging AI technologies and applications in order to pursue harmful, even deadly agendas. Among them is the Islamic State (ISIS), the militant group known for its tech-savvy online presence that has helped it recruit and maintain a global following despite battlefield losses. Such tactics have proven capable in the past of outpacing efforts by governments and companies to counter them, a risk compounded by the novel nature of recent AI breakthroughs.
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