Senior Israeli security officials revealed today (Thursday) that the Hamas terror infrastructure recently dismantled in Austria and Germany is only “the tip of the iceberg,” with intelligence assessments indicating dozens of active Hamas and Hezbollah cells across Europe, Africa, and beyond, all working to acquire weapons and prepare attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets.
Following Wednesday night’s Mossad announcement of a joint operation with European agencies that thwarted multiple Hamas plots, including the seizure of hidden weapons caches in Vienna and arrests in Germany, sources told Israeli media that Hamas has dramatically escalated its overseas terror network since the October 7, 2023 massacre.
Key revelations:
- Cells operate under direct Iranian guidance or independently by Hamas and Hezbollah operatives.
- Weapons stockpiles and safe houses have been uncovered in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands in recent years.
- In September 2025, Austrian counter-terror police raided a Vienna apartment used by Mohammed Naim, son of senior Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim, seizing pistols and explosives.
- European authorities are also investigating possible Hamas command-and-control nodes inside Turkey.
A recent Washington Institute report quoted by Israeli outlets warned that with its military capabilities in Gaza nearly destroyed, Hamas is shifting focus to international terrorism, potentially in coordination with Iran and Hezbollah.
“The Hamas leadership’s sweeping denials only highlight their loss of control over rogue operatives,” the Prime Minister’s Office stated on behalf of the Mossad, adding that ongoing investigations are examining Turkish-based Hamas officials who may have green-lit European attacks.
The Mossad emphasized it is currently thwarting “dozens” of active terror channels worldwide, vowing continued aggressive operations to neutralize threats far from Israel’s borders. European security services have significantly stepped up cooperation, with several countries moving to outlaw Hamas-affiliated charities and mosques used for fundraising and recruitment.
