Israeli Military Says Brother of Michigan Synagogue Attacker Was Hezbollah Commander
Background of the Attack
Jerusalem (AP) — A man who attacked a Michigan synagogue was identified as the brother of a Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month, according to Israel’s military. The attack has raised questions about the connections between the incident and the broader conflict in the Middle East.
Ibrahim Ghazali, who was reportedly a Hezbollah commander, was killed in an airstrike on March 5 in Lebanon along with three other family members of the attacker in Michigan. This occurred just a week before authorities allege that Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove his car into a major synagogue outside Detroit and killed himself after security forces fired at him.
The FBI’s Detroit office, which is leading the investigation into the synagogue attack, has not commented on the claims made by Israel’s military regarding Ibrahim Ghazali. In a statement, an FBI spokesman said, “Out of respect for the ongoing investigation, we will continue to refrain from commenting on its substance.”
Hezbollah’s Role and the Airstrike
Israel’s military claims that Ibrahim Ghazali was a Hezbollah commander responsible for managing weapons used by a unit that launched rockets at Israel. A Lebanese official, who spoke to The Associated Press under the condition of anonymity, confirmed Ibrahim Ghazali’s death and mentioned that his children, Ali and Fatima, and his brother, Kassim, were also killed in the strike. The attack targeted their home just after sunset.
In a statement released in Beirut, Hezbollah acknowledged that the brothers, Ibrahim and Kassim, were involved in local activities such as being a referee in a soccer league and a scout member. However, the group did not explicitly deny that Ibrahim was part of their ranks.
Authorities have stated that Ayman Ghazali, 41, carried out the attack after learning of the deaths of four family members in the Israeli strike. This tragic event has highlighted the increasing tensions between Israel and Iranian-backed militant groups like Hezbollah, especially as violence continues to spread across the Middle East.
Details of the Synagogue Attack
On Thursday, Ayman Ghazali waited in his car outside Temple Israel, a major Reform synagogue near Detroit, for about two hours. He had a rifle, commercial-grade fireworks, and jugs of liquid believed to be gasoline. After crashing into the building, which was filled with dozens of children, he began firing his gun through the windshield and exchanged fire with an armed security guard.
Ghazali fatally shot himself after his vehicle became stuck and the engine caught fire. According to Jennifer Runyan, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, no staff or children inside the synagogue were hurt. This was likely due to enhanced security measures implemented in recent months.
The FBI, which is leading the investigation, described the attack as an act of violence targeting the Jewish community. However, the agency has not yet classified it as an act of terror due to insufficient evidence.
Background of Ayman Ghazali
Ayman Ghazali came to the United States in 2011 on an immediate relative visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. He was granted U.S. citizenship in 2016, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He lived in a single-story brick home in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn Heights, approximately 40 miles (60 kilometers) south of the synagogue.
Additional Context
The attack on the Michigan synagogue took place on the same day as another incident involving a former Army National Guard member who served time in prison for attempting to aid the Islamic State group. This individual opened fire on a classroom at Old Dominion University in Virginia, killing one person and wounding two others.
