Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Ghazali was allegedly traumatised when an Israeli airstrike on his family's village in Lebanon about 10 days ago killed two of Ghazali's brothers and two of their children, CBS News reported as law enforcement investigate Ghazali's motive.
The FBI said it was leading the investigation of what special agent Jennifer Runyan called a "targeted act of violence against the Jewish community."
The attack occurred amid a recent surge in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. and heightened security concerns at both Jewish and Muslim places of worship, as the broader Middle East conflict has stoked fears and unrest domestically and abroad.
Separately, the FBI opened a terrorism investigation into an earlier shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday (12 March), which resulted in one fatality and two U.S. Army personnel being injured.
Michigan State Police responded to an "active shooting" situation at Temple Israel, one of the largest synagogues in the U.S., around 12:30 p.m. local time (17:30 GMT).
Early reports from law enforcement did not clarify if the suspect was armed with a gun or if it had been used in the attack.
"We can’t confirm the cause of death at this time, but security did engage the suspect with gunfire," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told reporters.
A law enforcement official confirmed that the perpetrator was shot dead, though it was unclear whether he took his own life or was killed by security.
Bouchard explained that the suspect, who has not been identified, crashed his truck through the synagogue's doors and drove down a hallway before a security officer fired at him. Another security officer was struck by the vehicle and briefly knocked unconscious.
"We have no other victims, other than one of the lead security officers who was hit by the car and taken to hospital for treatment. That individual is expected to recover," the sheriff stated.
All 140 students at Temple Israel’s early childhood centre are safe, according to the synagogue’s statement.
A fire of unknown origin broke out during the attack, filling much of the building with smoke. Aerial footage showed plumes of smoke rising from the roof, with large numbers of police and fire vehicles converging on the scene.
The sheriff stated that the FBI would likely take primary responsibility for investigating the incident.
Temple Israel has a congregation of more than 12,000 members, with its daycare centre caring for children as young as six weeks old, according to its website.
In response to the Temple Israel incident, the Jewish Federation of Detroit posted a message on its Facebook page stating that its affiliated agencies had been placed in "precautionary lockdown."
A car crashed into the entrance of the headquarters of a Jewish religious order in New York City. No injuries were reported.
Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Two Israeli diplomats were shot and killed outside an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee in Washington, D.C.
The gunman, who was charged with terrorism and hate crimes, is believed to have been motivated by the Israel-Gaza conflict.
He told police on the scene, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza," according to the charging documents. Witnesses recounted hearing him chant, 'Free Palestine' after he was taken into custody.
Authorities in Florida launched a hate crime investigation after a man opened fire on two men he thought were Palestinians but turned out to be Israeli visitors.
The victims survived. One was shot in the shoulder and the other in the forearm.
Masked men attacked two Jewish students who were demonstrating in support of Israel at Chicago's DePaul University, resulting in minor injuries.
The suspect, who was facing hate crime charges, later pleaded guilty to battery and causing bodily harm.
A 39-year-old Jewish man wearing a religious skullcap was shot and wounded as he walked to synagogue in Chicago, Illinois.
The suspect, who was apprehended 30 minutes after the attack, was charged with attempted murder, among other crimes.
Jewish and Islamic organisations across the United States have been operating with heightened security measures in response to the recent outbreak of war in the Middle East on 28 February.
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President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Kyrgyzstan’s ex-second in command, Kamchybek Tashiev, has been convicted of plotting to overthrow the country’s President Sadyr Japarov. Tashiev and Japarov had ruled the Central Asian nation in tandem since 2020, until the former was unexpectedly ousted in February.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
Uzbekistan will open an embassy in Georgia, the Central Asian country’s presidency has said. The announcement follows talks between Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Tbilisi.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
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