(JTA) — Chabad emissaries around the world have been warned to be on “high alert” in the wake of the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, which supports a number of regional militias and is allied with terrorist groups targeting Israel, including Hezbollah and Hamas.
The Chabad-Lubavitch Security Commission, in an email dated Jan.2, warned that Chabad centers could be targets of retaliation by the Islamic Republic. The email said, “Soleimani’s death will likely mark a major escalation in a simmering conflict between the U.S. and Iran and there is a strong likelihood that Iran will retaliate whether directly or indirectly. Although there is no information at this time to suggest a direct threat to Chabad centers as a result of this escalation, as in past conflicts, there exists a concern that the current situation and tensions could contribute to a heightened risk and threat environment for Jewish facilities and Chabad centers."