From the river… to Madrid? Spanish Jews alarmed by reports of Hezbollah drone building near synagogues

Spain’s Jewish community is growing increasingly alarmed following reports that Hezbollah operatives, allegedly backed by Iranian influence, have been constructing drones near synagogues and Jewish cultural centers.

The Spanish government seems unable to prevent terror cells from operating and promoting dangerous activity. The arrest of three suspects accused of building drones in central Barcelona has raised concerns about rising terrorist activity and anti-Semitism in Europe.

The arrests took place in the Eixample district, an upscale area in central Barcelona located just a few blocks from the city's main synagogue and the Jewish school.

Spanish authorities believe that the drones are intended for use in war zones, possibly against Israeli or Jewish targets. The incident has raised concern among Jewish leaders and security experts, who say that terrorist organizations are integrating into the heart of European cities.

Ángel Mas, president of ACOM, a Spanish advocacy group that monitors anti-Semitism and extremism, told The Media Line that the arrests were not surprising but marked a turning point. "This is the escalation we feared," he said, "Hezbollah operatives are roaming the same streets of Jewish schoolchildren, building explosive drones blocks away from synagogues."

Maas said that in Spain, Sunni and Shiite Islamists roam unhindered. He noted that for decades there has been Iranian influence, including Iranian media. HispanTV is a Spanish-language media outlet funded by Tehran. "Iran has funded an entire political party in Spain," Maas said. "Their media channel paid the salary, the phone bill and the political platform of a senior Spanish leader. It's not even a conspiracy theory – it's open publicity."

He warned that the Spanish government's position was dangerous, saying that political organizations were "ideologically and operationally close to Palestinian terrorism." Organizations that hold demonstrations against Israel, and another organization held events in which people defined as terrorists by the European Union participated.

"Spain is no longer a bystander," Mas said. "We have elected officials who use slogans like 'From the river to the sea,' a few days after the October 7 massacre live. We are controlled by people who quote terror propaganda from official platforms."