Israel has asked foreign security forces around the world, including those in Cyprus and Greece, to increase protection for Israeli tourists ahead of the high holidays, defense sources revealed Wednesday. The request also went out to police and governments in Thailand and other countries, where large numbers of Israelis are set to visit in the coming weeks.
“We’ve identified a continuation of the Iranian global campaign to launch terror attacks against Israelis,” a defense source said Wednesday. “Masses of Israelis will head abroad.”
There are no concrete intelligence tip-offs on impending attacks, other than in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, sources added. But the defense community believes the deadly terrorist atrocity in Bulgaria, in which five Israelis and a local bus driver were murdered, does not mark the end of the Iranian-led terror campaign.
“The ongoing wave of terror began with (those targeting) official state symbols,” the source said, referring to botched terror attacks against Israeli targets earlier this year in India, Thailand, and Georgia. Then they went after soft targets, tourists, the source added.
“The campaign is being led by Iran, with Hezbollah acting as its proxy,” the source said.
Israeli embassies around the world have received security updates, while venues hosting large numbers of Israelis are also stepping up security.
“We’re sending messages to every country hosting Israeli tourists,” the source explained. “It is very disturbing to see Iran, a terrorist state, wage this determined campaign,” he said.
Iran’s Quds force, together with Hezbollah and other proxies and middlemen, are all involved in the effort to pull off additional terror attacks, according to security evaluations.