Four men arrested after Rotterdam synagogue arson attack

An explosion sparks fire at synagogue early Friday

Dutch police on Friday said four men were arrested after an arson attack on a synagogue in the centre of Rotterdam, in the latest incident of suspected antisemitic violence since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

No one was injured as a result of the fire, which was caused by an explosion around 3.40 am (0240 GMT), Rotterdam police said.

Police said surveillance had immediately been increased at other synagogues across the city.

The four men were held after police stopped a car that was driving suspiciously near another synagogue, with the description of the driver matching one of the perpetrators of the earlier attack.

It was unclear if the four suspects, aged 17 to 19, had plans for attacks on other synagogues, police said, as they called for information from witnesses.

Another synagogue, around 200 km (124 miles) southeast in neighbouring Belgium, was hit by an explosion on Monday in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack. That attack caused damage but no injuries.

In Michigan in the US, a Lebanon-born US citizen crashed his truck into a synagogue and its preschool and was shot dead.

Concerns about possible attacks against Jewish communities around the world have risen following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and a subsequent response by Iran.