The conflict in the Middle East is cause for law enforcement, security professionals, and the general public to be on alert and remain vigilant about suspicious activity here in the U.S., according to national security officials.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin regarding a “heightened threat environment” across the United States due to the country’s direct involvement in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. According to the DHS, there are currently no specific credible threats against the homeland. The bulletin was released on June 22, shortly after the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities.
“It is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict,” said Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem. “The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crimes.”
The NTAS Bulletin highlights the following issues:
- The Iranian government has publicly condemned direct U.S. involvement in the conflict.
- Both hacktivists and Iranian government-affiliated actors routinely target poorly secured U.S. networks and Internet-connected devices for disruptive cyberattacks.
- If Iranian leadership were to issue a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against specific targets in the U.S., it could increase the likelihood that a supporter of the Iranian regime is inspired to commit an act of violence in the homeland.
- The conflict could also motivate violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators seeking to attack targets perceived to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or linked to the U.S. government or military in the homeland.
- U.S. law enforcement has disrupted multiple potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots in the United States since 2020. During this time frame, the Iranian government has also unsuccessfully targeted critics of its regime who are based in the U.S. for lethal attack.
- Since the start of the conflict, the DHS has seen media releases by foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs)—including HAMAS, Lebanese Hizballah, the Houthis, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, among others—some of which have called for violence against U.S. assets and personnel in the Middle East because of Israel’s attack.
The NTAS Bulletin, which will expire on Sept. 22, is available here. The DHS urged the public to report any suspicious activity or threats of violence to local law enforcement, FBI Field Offices, or a local Fusion Center.
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