Europe On High Alert After Belgium Synagogue Blast As Iran War Fuels Security Fears

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

BRUSSELS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Belgium, Britain, France, and Germany are among European countries on heightened alert after an explosion outside a synagogue in eastern Belgium raised fears of possible terrorism linked to the war involving Iran.

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described Monday’s blast near a synagogue in the city of Liège as “a despicable antisemitic act,” saying federal prosecutors had opened an investigation as several European nations tightened security.

Police in Liège said the explosion occurred in the early hours of Monday morning. No one was injured, but windows of a building opposite the synagogue were blown out.

Authorities sealed off the street while investigators combed the area for evidence.

“The explosion in front of the Liège synagogue was a despicable antisemitic act that directly targeted the Jewish community of Belgium,” Quintin wrote on the social media platform X, adding that security around Jewish sites would be strengthened.

TERRORISM PROBE

Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office confirmed it had taken charge of the case “given the possible indications of a terrorist offense.”

Officials said it was too early to determine who carried out the attack or whether it was linked to the ongoing war involving Iran.

However, with Israeli and U.S. strikes continuing in Iran, intelligence agencies across Europe, Israel, and the United States say they are preparing for the possible activation of Iranian “sleeper cells” — covert militants who may live quietly in Western countries until receiving instructions to act.

British authorities say security services have foiled about 20 Iran-linked terror plots in the United Kingdom in recent years, highlighting what officials describe as a growing security threat on European soil.

U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey said the plots were disrupted by intelligence agencies and police before they could be carried out.

IRAN-LINKED THREATS

Investigators say many of the suspected plans targeted Jewish institutions, Iranian dissidents, and critics of the Iranian government living in Britain.

Back in Belgium, the transport minister demanded tighter security around the rail network in a nation hosting major international institutions, including the headquarters of the European Union and the NATO military alliance in Brussels.

Meanwhile, authorities elsewhere in Europe were also investigating security incidents.

Police in Oslo said they were analyzing surveillance footage after an explosion early Sunday outside the United States Embassy in Oslo.

Officers released an image from surveillance video showing a person wearing dark clothing and a backpack with their face covered. The suspect has not yet been identified.

EXPLOSION AT US EMBASSY

Oslo police said they received reports of a “loud bang” outside the embassy around 1 a.m. local time Sunday. No injuries were reported, but the embassy entrance was damaged.

“We are early in the investigation, but we are working based on multiple hypotheses,” said Frode Larsen, who leads a joint police investigation and intelligence unit.

“Given the current security situation, it is natural to consider whether this was a targeted attack on the American Embassy. However, we have not committed to any single hypothesis,” he added.

Police later said their investigation indicated that an improvised explosive device had been placed near the entrance area of the embassy. Authorities also confirmed they were examining a video posted on the online service Google Maps around the time of the explosion. Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported that the video showed Ali Khamenei.

The developments have underscored growing concern among European officials that the war involving Iran could have direct security consequences inside Europe, prompting heightened protection around diplomatic missions, Jewish institutions, and key infrastructure.

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