ISIS has called for coordinated arson attacks on churches and synagogues across Europe and the United States over the Easter weekend, according to its latest propaganda publication.

The radical Islamist terrorist organization issued the threat in its weekly outlet al-Naba, urging supporters to ‘rise up and set fire’ to religious sites worldwide. The message was framed as retaliation for the reported closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem amid the Iran war.

The call explicitly named targets across Western countries, including the US and Europe, as well as regions in North Africa and the Middle East. It also encouraged attacks on Jewish gatherings and referenced previous terrorist incidents as examples to emulate.

Security officials have long warned that such messaging is intended to inspire lone-actor attacks rather than centrally coordinated operations, making the threat environment particularly difficult to predict. In recent years, multiple cases have emerged of individuals radicalized online attempting or carrying out attacks on religious targets, including synagogues and churches.

On the eve of Holy Thursday,
Chartreux boarding school, a Catholic school in Lyons, France, was set on fire.

Christianity is under attack across the world.

And all you hear from politicians and legacy media is “muh Islamophobia”.
pic.twitter.com/bgGZp9DqZ4

— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) April 2, 2026

French authorities are already investigating a major fire at the Catholic boarding school Institution des Chartreux in Lyon. The blaze broke out on Wednesday, 1 April, prompting the evacuation of approximately 150 students. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Several attacks have been carried out in Europe following the US–Israeli joint military operation against Iran launched on 28 February. On 8 March, an explosion hit the US embassy in Oslo, Norway, while arson attacks and bombings were reported in Belgium and the Netherlands, targeting Jewish institutions. Most recently, four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire in north London, United Kingdom.

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