Al-Qaeda threatens US, Israel ahead of New Year's Eve

On Sunday, federal authorities announced that Al-Qaeda has issued threats of an "open-sourced jihad" against the west and Israel, including potential attacks on airlines.

Authorities said that the threats were published via video and law enforcement agencies are monitoring the situation, according to Fox News.

In a statement obtained by the network, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said that they are on high alert but are "not aware of any credible threats resulting from this video to date."

"Foreign terrorist organizations routinely highlight transportation modes during the holidays," said TSA in an email. "TSA is operating at a high level of security and constant state of vigilance, as always."

Atlas News reports that the video was first published on Christmas Day, which consisted of the terror group calling for attacks on American, British, French, and Dutch airlines. The airlines specifically targeted include American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, British Airways, EasyJet, Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Terror threats against western nations have increased since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

TSA asserted that they are working in close connection with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are in "ongoing touch with all of our partners, and will continue to monitor the situation and adjust security measures as and when necessary."
 

The security agency said it "maintains a risk-based, intelligence-driven approach" to protecting US airlines, which includes "multiple layers of security, both seen and unseen."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a statement to the network that "various foreign terrorist media organizations" have threatened terror attacks since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and that "the FBI is closely monitoring threats to public safety during the holiday season."

"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," said the FBI.

New York City has increased law enforcement personnel presence in Times Square to thwart any potential terrorist action during the world-famous countdown.

Mayor Adams said that there will be thousands of NYPD officers patrolling in and out of uniform, in addition to private security and federal authorities patrolling the scene.

The FBI has issued a request for the public to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement or to contact their local FBI office immediately.