The threat to Israelis and Jews worldwide is continuing to rise ahead of the Yomim Tovim and next month’s third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, according to a threat assessment issued Sunday morning by Israel’s National Security Council (NSC).
The NSC emphasized that it is not issuing new travel warnings, but rather highlighting trends showing a growing threat and increased motivation by terrorist groups to target Israelis and Jews around the world, including through unpredictable lone-wolf attacks.
Iran and its proxies remain the primary source of the threat, driven by a desire to retaliate for the blows they have suffered. Tehran continues to use terrorist networks and criminal elements to target Israeli diplomatic missions, senior officials, security personnel, Jewish communal institutions and individual Israelis.
Hezbollah is also working to carry out attacks, while Hamas continues to build terrorist infrastructure in Europe and elsewhere. Global jihadist organizations, including ISIS and Al-Qaeda, have issued explicit calls for attacks against Jews in Africa, Asia and Western countries. The Houthis in Yemen have called for attacks on Israelis in Somaliland and elsewhere in Africa.
The NSC identified countries near Iran as particularly vulnerable, including Azerbaijan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, severe Level 4 travel warnings remain in effect for Jordan, Qatar, Somaliland and Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula, with Israelis urged to avoid travel to those destinations entirely. Israeli law also prohibits travel to Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Libya and Algeria are among additional countries classified as high-risk.
The NSC recommends that Israelis traveling abroad take a series of precautions, including keeping Israeli and Jewish identifiers discreet, refraining from posting their location in real time or revealing their military service on social media, and exercising heightened caution near Chabad houses, shuls and kosher restaurants.
Anyone who suspects a threat is instructed to first contact local security authorities and only afterward notify Israeli assistance officials.
The NSC’s 24-hour travel-warning hotline for terror-related threats can be reached at 02-6667444.
The Foreign Ministry’s Situation Room, which handles consular matters and antisemitic incidents, can be reached at 02-5303155 or via WhatsApp at 050-5073969.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
