FDD's Long War Journal

Hamas

Hamas-ruled Gaza suffers drop in aid from Iran, foreign charities because of Syrian civil war

Hezbollah

Iran emerging as victor in Syrian conflict

Intelligence Minister Steinitz warned that Iran is quickly approaching the red line set by Prime Minister Netanyahu at the UN. Netanyahu said Israeli authorities have thwarted five suicide bombings as well as over 30 abduction attempts by Palestinian terror groups thus far this year.

Hamas

With ties to Iran in shambles, Hamas finds new ways to rearm

Israel

Intelligence Minister Steinitz said Bashar al Assad may prevail in the ongoing civil war in Syria. Former Foreign Minister Lieberman slammed the EU for not yet designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Palestinian preconditions for negotiations are “an insurmountable obstacle.”

Israel

Prime Minister Netanyahu said Iran has increased its cyber efforts against Israel. Hamas and Hezbollah have also tried to conduct cyberattacks against Israel, Netanyahu said. The Navy recently concluded an exercise dealing with maritime terrorism.

United States

The State Department said it is concerned about Iran’s longstanding support for the Taliban, and again called Iran the number one state sponsor of terrorism. State was responding to recent reports that Iran is now routing supplies to the Taliban in Afghanistan openly rather than secretly as before.

Iraq

A suicide bomber killed five Iranian pilgrims in Baquba. An Iraqi soldier was killed in an IED attack in Mosul. The leaders of 26 tribes in Anbar and Ninewa provinces denounced al Qaeda, and said its tribal militias would assist security forces in tracking terrorists.

Al Nusrah Front raises al Qaeda’s flag in Aleppo

And Ayman al Zawahiri calls for Muslims to “deploy to the Levant.”

Afghanistan

The Taliban claimed credit for a suicide attack on a base in Helmand that killed six Georgian soldiers and wounded nine more. Kandahar’s police chief accused Iran of arming the Taliban. The governor of Kunar claimed a US drone strike killed four civilians, including three children.

Palestinian Territories

Hamas denied reports that its military wing seeks to maintain a relationship with Hezbollah and Iran despite opposition from members of the group’s Politburo. Palestinian terrorists reportedly fired three mortars toward Israel. The mortars landed in Gaza. Seven Hamas members were arrested by PA security forces in the West Bank.

United States

The US is sending Patriot missiles and F-16 fighter jets to Jordan for an annual military exercise in June but may extend the deployment if needed. Prosecutors in the case of Sabirhan Hasanoff, who admitted to plotting an attack on the New York Stock exchange, are seeking to use testimony by a senior al Qaeda […]

US offers rewards for Boko Haram, African al Qaeda leaders

The $7 million reward for Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram’s emir, puts him in the top echelon of wanted terrorist leaders. Rewards of $5 million are also offered for Mokhtar Belmokhtar and Yahya Abu Hammam.

United States

The US levied a new set of sanctions against Iran, targeting Iranian currency for the first time. A US court said KLM Dutch airlines was not responsible for injuries sustained by a passenger who tried to subdue underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on a flight in late 2009. Secretary of State Kerry said the US […]

Syria

A Hezbollah commander claimed that about 2,000 of the group’s fighters have entered the area around Aleppo in preparation for an attack; the Free Syrian Army estimated that 4,000 Hezbollah fighters were in the area. US Senator John McCain said Hezbollah fighters and Russian and Iranian weapons are turning the tide in favor of the […]

IAEA

Iran’s Arak reactor looms into Israeli, Western view

Afghanistan

Taliban delegation visits Tehran to meet Iranian officials

IMU, Taliban launched joint suicide assault in Panjshir

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan claimed the attack under the banner of the Taliban’s spring offensive and said that it “is continuing its jihadi activities in the Khorasan region.”

United States

The State Department published its Country Reports on Terrorism 2012; the report notes Iran’s resurgent role in worldwide terrorism. The former top commander of US forces in Afghanistan called on the Obama administration to announce post-2014 troop levels in Afghanistan. Sami Samir Hassoun, 25, a Lebanese immigrant, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for […]

Hamas

Iran cuts Hamas funding over Syria

United States

The father of Ibragim Todashev, who was shot by the FBI on May 22, called, along with CAIR, for an investigation into his son’s death. Todashev was being questioned by the FBI about links to Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev when he was shot; his father accused the FBI of killing Todashev to shut […]

‘Arab, Pakistani, Chechen, and Uzbek fighters’ spotted in Logar

Foreign jihadists are being spotted on multiple battlefields throughout Afghanistan, far beyond Kunar and Nuristan.

Nigeria arrests 3 alleged Hezbollah members

Nigerian authorities announced the arrest of three men believed to be tied to Hezbollah. Authorities believe the cell was going to target Israeli and Western interests.

Argentina

The Argentinian prosecutor investigating the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association in Buenos Aires issued a 502-page indictment blaming Iran’s leadership for the deadly attack. The indictment also alleged that Iran conducted terrorist activities in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname, and that Iranian embassies throughout South America […]

Argentina

Argentinian prosecutor alleges extensive Iranian terror activity in South America

Egyptian jihadists call for attacks in Shiite countries

Mohammed Zawahiri, the brother of al Qaeda’s emir, is one of the 20 Egyptian jihadists who issued a statement calling upon Sunnis to launch attacks in Shiite-led countries in response to the Bashir al Assad regime’s offensive in Qusayr, Syria. Iran and Hezbollah have reportedly joined the fight in Qusayr alongside Assad’s forces.