European security agencies have thwarted multiple terror plots by Iran-backed extremists, spurred on by the war in Gaza, the latest of which in Italy.

Italian authorities have detained three Palestinians believed to be affiliated with the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, a designated terror group by the US and EU, for allegedly planning assaults on civilian and military targets in Europe.

In October, Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea revealed that Mossad and intelligence agencies abroad had foiled 27 attacks on Jewish and Israeli figures over the last year.

In an undisclosed investigation last December, authorities in Austria and Bosnia apprehended two groups of Afghan and Syrian refugees in possession of weapons, including Kalashnikov assault rifles and pistols. Investigators found images of Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on the suspects’ phones, the latest in a series of Iran-backed plots against Jewish and Israeli targets abroad.

In a recent case uncovered by Swedish authorities, Iranian agents posing as refugees planned the assassination of prominent Jewish leaders in Sweden, leading to their arrest and subsequent deportation.

German intelligence has warned of heightened risks, particularly regarding threats against Jewish and Israeli targets, with extremist groups exploiting the conflict in Gaza for propaganda, recruitment, and fundraising.

Recent raids in Germany and the Netherlands reveal a shift towards plotting attacks within Europe, with concerns raised about the potential exploitation of refugee flows by terror organizations.