Report: Israel warned Australia Iran was planning attacks on Jewish community

Israel reportedly believes Iran was likely behind the Sydney massacre. Mossad had warned Canberra of plots targeting Australian Jews.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s intelligence community warned Australia repeatedly regarding possible terror plots targeting the country’s Jewish community, Israeli media outlets reported on Sunday.

On Sunday, the New South Wales Police Force denied that it had received any information on specific threats prior to the Bondi Beach massacre, during which 11 people were shot and killed and dozens more wounded at a Chanukah event organized by the local branch of the Chabad movement.

“If the police had had intelligence that there was a risk to the community or to this event, we would’ve taken significant action,” Commissioner Mal Lanyon said.

However, Israel’s national broadcaster, Kan, reported that the Mossad had reached out to Australia on multiple occasions to warn of terror plots against Australian Jews.

Arutz Sheva added that Israel specifically warned Australia that Iran was working to orchestrate attacks on the Jewish community.

In the aftermath of the attack, Arutz Sheva reported, Israeli intel officials have convened multiple high-level consultations to determine if the massacre was carried out by a hostile nation or terrorist group.

According to the report, Israeli officials believe the shooting attack was carried out at the behest of Iran but may have also involved Iranian-linked terror groups such as Hezbollah or Hamas.

In the hours since the attack, the report said, Israeli officials have become increasingly convinced Iran was responsible for the attack.

Israel’s warnings to Australia noted evidence of Iranian efforts to smuggle weapons into the country, the establishment of terrorist infrastructures, and “incitement cells” operating on social media, promoting antisemitism and attacks on Jewish targets.