FBI, DHS Warn of Heightened 'Lone Actor Violence' Threat Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

The agencies urge vigilance as potential hate crimes rise, with large public gatherings and religious communities at risk during the holiday season.

The FBI, DHS, and National Counterterrorism Center have issued a public service announcement warning of a heightened threat of 'lone actor violence' targeting large public gatherings throughout the winter holiday season, due to ongoing tensions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The announcement states that large gatherings, including holiday-related, faith-based, New Year’s Eve, and First Amendment protected events related to the conflict, could be a 'convenient target' for those inspired to commit violence against Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Arab communities.
The agencies have noted a rise in potential hate crimes or other criminal violations since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7th, which claimed the lives of over 1,200 people.
There has been an increase in hoax bomb and shooting threats against synagogues across the country.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said last week that the agency has seen a 60 percent jump in hate crime investigations across the U.S. since the outbreak of the war, with many of them targeting the Jewish community.