Bomb Threats Disrupt European Schools, Spur Investigation

Thousands of schools across Europe faced bomb threat hoaxes on Wednesday, leading to widespread evacuations in Italy. Over 6,300 schools in Italy, along with hundreds in Ireland and the UK, received these threats. No explosives or suspicious devices have been found, but investigations continue.

Last week, over 20 European commercial flights were similarly targeted. The ongoing threats have raised concerns about hybrid warfare tactics used by Iran and Russia against Europe, amid conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Schools in major Italian cities like Rome, Milan, and Naples experienced disruptions, and authorities are inspecting the sites.

An email, purportedly from a banned Russian extremist group, claimed responsibility. Italian media published one such email, which included threats to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Meloni downplayed the “concrete danger” and labeled it as an alarm tactic, calling a meeting with intelligence and cybersecurity experts.

This incident marks the third wave of threats against Italian schools in recent weeks. It follows threats on October 19 and November 2, leading some 280 schools to receive similar messages. In Ireland, the national police deemed the threats “not credible” and advised against evacuations. Threats in Northern Ireland appeared to have foreign origins.

The bomb threats coincide with investigations into cyberattacks targeting various sectors in Europe and the U.S. Authorities have largely attributed these acts to Russia and Iran.

Last month, MI5 Chief Sir Ken McCallum highlighted evolving security threats from “malicious actors” targeting individuals and businesses. Russia is accused of using hybrid warfare tactics below the NATO Article 5 threshold to avoid triggering collective defense measures. Iran’s threats have reportedly grown in scale, involving attempts against military sites and media organizations across Europe.

A group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya has claimed responsibility for attacks on various soft targets. Linked to Iran’s Quds Force, this group has been sanctioned by UK authorities. Earlier this year, they vowed to continue threatening U.S. and Israeli interests globally.