The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday warned the public of heightened threats to public safety this holiday season and through winter amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Fox News reported.
The FBI said it is "closely monitoring threats to public safety during the holiday season which may be amplified" by the war.
"We take all potential threats seriously and will work closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action," it said.
Per an assessment from the FBI and DHS, ongoing tensions related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas "likely heighten the threat of lone actor violence targeting large public gatherings throughout the winter, including holiday-related, faith-based, New Year’s Eve, and First Amendment protected events related to the conflict."
The bureau said these targets are likely to remain "attractive to lone actors inspired by a range of ideologies due to their accessibility and symbolic nature."
Hate crimes throughout the US have spiked since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday denounced the recent surge in antisemitism in the US and around the world, saying, “I also recognize you’re hurt from the silence, and the fear and for your safety because the surge of antisemitism in the United States of America and around the world is sickening.”
“You know, we see it across our communities, and schools, and colleges, and social media. They surface painful scars from millennia of hate,” he said at the White House Hanukkah reception.
Last week, the US House of Representatives passed a Republican-led resolution condemning antisemitism in the United States and globally.
The measure passed by a vote of 311 to 14, but a number of Democrats expressed concern that the language of the resolution is overly broad and would effectively define any criticism of the Israeli government or its policies as antisemitism.
92 Democrats voted “present” and 13 Democrats and one Republican voted against the resolution.