Israeli military claims brother of Michigan synagogue attacker was Hezbollah commander

The FBI is investigating the attack on Temple Israel Synagogue, but has not yet called it an act of terror.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 3:05pm

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Israel's military claims that the brother of the man who attacked a Michigan synagogue last week was a Hezbollah commander killed earlier this month in an Israeli airstrike. The FBI is investigating the attack on Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, but has not yet determined if it was an act of terror.

Why it matters

The attack on one of the largest Reform synagogues in the country comes amid a surge of attacks on members of the Jewish community in the U.S. The alleged connection between the attacker and Hezbollah raises concerns about the potential for violence from Middle East conflicts spreading to American soil.

The details

On Thursday, 41-year-old Ayman Ghazali waited in his car outside Temple Israel Synagogue for about two hours with a rifle, commercial grade fireworks and jugs of liquid believed to be gasoline, before crashing into the building full of dozens of children. He started firing his gun through the windshield, exchanging fire with an armed security guard. Ghazali fatally shot himself after he got stuck in his vehicle and the engine caught fire. No staffers or children inside the synagogue were hurt, likely due to beefed up security in recent months.

  • On March 5, Ibrahim Ghazali, the brother of the synagogue attacker, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon.
  • On March 16, the attack on Temple Israel Synagogue took place.

The players

Ayman Ghazali

The 41-year-old man who carried out the attack on Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.

Ibrahim Ghazali

The brother of Ayman Ghazali, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on March 5. Israel's military claims he was a Hezbollah commander.

Hezbollah

An Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon that Israel has stepped up attacks on as the war with Iran has spread violence across the Middle East.

Temple Israel Synagogue

One of the largest Reformed Judaism congregations in the country, located in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.

FBI

The federal agency leading the investigation into the attack on Temple Israel Synagogue, but has not yet determined if it was an act of terror.

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What they’re saying

“We must absolutely draw a nexus between the war in Iran and the events. I don't think it's a coincidence that out of all the synagogues or temples that this individual could have picked, he picked the one that is named Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.”

— Brian Abel (ksbw.com)

“Out of respect for the ongoing investigation, we will continue to refrain from commenting on its substance.”

— Jordan Hall, FBI spokesman (ksbw.com)

What’s next

The FBI's Detroit office, which is investigating the synagogue attack, declined to comment further on the claims by Israel's military about Ibrahim Ghazali's alleged ties to Hezbollah, stating they will continue to refrain from commenting on the substance of the ongoing investigation.

The takeaway

This attack on a major synagogue in Michigan highlights the continued threat of violence targeting the Jewish community in the U.S., as well as the potential for conflicts in the Middle East to spread violence to American soil. The investigation will continue to examine any potential links between the attacker and foreign terrorist organizations.