The Hamas attack, in which military and civilian targets in Israel were attacked in various ways – by land, air, and sea – also had an impact on Europe. Numerous terrorist organizations and activist groups have since attempted to take the conflict beyond the borders of the Middle East. It is particularly alarming that attacks were not only planned on Israeli targets in Europe but that civilian facilities and the critical infrastructure of European countries were also targeted.
Sylvia Mayer, Deputy Director of the DSN, emphasized at a press conference that the increase in planned attacks was also fueled by other global conflicts such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Western countries are particularly facing a growing threat to democratic structures and their critical infrastructure. This was also discussed at the “Critical Infrastructure Day” in Vienna, where the Ministry of the Interior highlighted the importance of protecting infrastructure such as energy and communication systems.
In addition to the direct threats posed by Hamas, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has further destabilized the security situation in Europe. The Russian use of hybrid warfare strategies, such as cyber-attacks and acts of sabotage, is increasingly aimed at undermining Europe’s support for Ukraine. Critical infrastructure, such as energy and communication networks, is a key target of these attacks. In this context, the Austrian Ministry of the Interior warned at the “Critical Infrastructure Day” in Vienna of an increased risk of acts of sabotage, which could come not only from terrorist organizations but also from state actors such as Russia.
Austria was not spared from the growing threat situation either. During the National Council election campaign, there were several cyberattacks on state and political institutions. These attacks, which were carried out by pro-Russian hacker groups, illustrate the vulnerability of states in times of heightened geopolitical tensions. Acts of sabotage against European infrastructures, such as the destruction of communication cables in Germany and France, illustrate the challenges facing the European security architecture.
Although the majority of attacks have been thwarted so far, the increasing number of planned attacks shows that Europe continues to face a growing threat. Intensive efforts are therefore needed to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructures and to further expand cooperation between security services within Europe.
The threat of terrorism and hybrid warfare remains one of the greatest challenges to Europe’s security. The combination of regional conflicts and the growing international networking of terrorist groups calls for continuous adaptation of protective measures to counter future attacks and acts of sabotage.
These developments underline the need for increased cooperation at the European level to prevent acts of sabotage, particularly against critical infrastructure, and to increase resilience to hybrid threats.