Israel investigating whether Iran involved in deadly Bondi Beach shooting
Israeli intelligence has warned that Tehran has been targeting Jewish communities abroad, reportedly smuggling weapons and using social media cells to incite violence.
Israeli authorities were investigating whether state actors, chiefly Iran, were involved in the deadly attack on Sydney’s Jewish community at Bondi Beach on Sunday.
Officials are also probing links to Hezbollah, Hamas, and Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is connected to al-Qaeda.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the “violent attack” in a post on X/Twitter. “Terror violence and mass killing shall be condemned, wherever they’re committed,” he added, while not making any comment towards Jews, Judaism, or antisemitism.
Israeli intelligence has warned that Tehran has been targeting Jewish communities abroad, reportedly smuggling weapons and using social media cells to incite violence.
At least 11 people were murdered, including Chabad emissary Rabbi Eli Schlanger, and several more were wounded, after a mass shooting targeted a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach, in southeastern Australia.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference following a shooting at Bondi Beach, at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, December 14, 2025 (credit: AAP/LUKAS COCH/VIA REUTERS)
Iran’s previous attempts to launch attacks on Jews in Australia
In August, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and law enforcement officials stated that the Islamic Regime of Iran was the mastermind behind at least two major antisemitic arson attacks in Australia and was likely responsible for more incidents.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had gathered enough intelligence to determine that the Islamic Regime had directed the December 6 Adass Israel arson attack in Melbourne and the October 20 Lewis’ Continental Kitchen arson attack in Sydney.
“These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,” said Albanese at the time. “They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community.”
Last month, listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a state sponsor of terrorism following the intelligence assessment.
This is a developing story.
Michael Starr and James Genn contributed to this report.
