A deadly terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) has struck Australia after gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah gathering near Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing at least 16 people.
Authorities have described it as the country’s deadliest shooting in decades. Australian police report that the attackers, identified as a father and son, deliberately targeted the Jewish community and were motivated by ISIS ideology, citing the discovery of homemade ISIS flags and improvised explosive devices in their vehicle. One suspect was shot dead by police at the scene, while the other was critically injured and remains in custody, as investigators examine possible overseas connections and intelligence gaps linked to the attack.
Why ISIS Still Poses a Global Threat
The Sydney attack has renewed questions about the current state of ISIS and the threat it continues to pose beyond the Middle East. Although the group lost its territorial strongholds several years ago, security officials and analysts warn that ISIS has adapted rather than disappeared. Understanding how ISIS operates today—including its ideology, tactics, and targeting logic—helps explain how such an attack was still possible. The following points outline key factors that continue to shape ISIS-inspired violence.
- ISIS Has Lost Territory But Retains Its Network
ISIS suffered major territorial defeats in 2019, losing control over large areas in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has not disappeared. Thousands of supporters remain active worldwide, and at its peak, ISIS attracted foreign fighters from more than 120 countries.
- A Global Ideology Continues to Drive Violence
ISIS operates on a global extremist ideology. Its propaganda consistently portrays Western societies and Jewish communities as primary enemies in what the group frames as an existential and apocalyptic struggle.
- Lone Actor Attacks Are a Central Strategy
ISIS encourages supporters to carry out attacks independently using any available means. Lone actor and small cell attacks allow the group to strike with minimal coordination while making detection by intelligence services difficult.
- Symbolic Targets Are Prioritized
The group focuses on attacks with high symbolic value and media impact. Targeting a religious gathering during a major Jewish holiday carries significant propaganda and ideological weight, even without direct coordination from central leadership.
- Coalition Countries Are Considered Legitimate Targets
ISIS views countries involved in the U.S.-led coalition against the group as enemy territories. Australia’s participation in international counterterrorism operations makes it a target in the group’s ideological framework.
- Weaknesses in Legal and Intelligence Frameworks Are Exploited
In many Western countries, legal limitations make it difficult to prosecute individuals connected to extremist networks unless clear operational ties exist. ISIS and its supporters exploit these gaps to operate below the threshold of criminal prosecution.
- Attacks in the West Represent Ideological Success
For ISIS, any successful attack in a Western country—whether centrally organized or locally inspired—is seen as an ideological victory. The Sydney attack illustrates how a territorially weakened group can still project influence and create fear through carefully chosen targets and narratives.
Sydney and New Orleans Attacks Show Ongoing ISIS Threat
The 2025 Sydney and New Orleans attacks share clear similarities, highlighting the continued global reach of ISIS-inspired violence. In both cases, the perpetrators acted independently while being motivated by ISIS ideology, targeting high-profile events to maximize symbolic and media impact. The Sydney gunmen attacked a Hanukkah celebration, while Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a truck into crowds during New Year celebrations in New Orleans, displaying an ISIS flag.
Both attackers carefully planned their assaults and exploited security gaps, despite acting in countries with strong law enforcement systems. Their actions reflect a broader ISIS strategy of promoting lone actor attacks in Western “enemy territories” and demonstrate how self-radicalization via online propaganda continues to pose serious threats.
These incidents underscore the enduring danger of ISIS ideology, showing that even without territorial control, the group can inspire lethal attacks with high psychological and symbolic impact worldwide.
The author, Dr. Yaser Esmailzadeh, is an Associate Professor of Political Science and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Iran.
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