A criminal complaint unsealed on Friday names Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al‑Saadi, a Kataib Hezbollah commander, as the architect of at least 18 attacks across Europe and Canada since February. Prosecutors allege he directed plots targeting American and Jewish sites, including a synagogue in New York City.

Al‑Saadi’s ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and former Quds Force chief Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani deepen the case’s gravity. The complaint claims he coordinated attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests in Los Angeles and New York, reflecting Tehran’s expanding proxy reach.

Kataib Hezbollah, designated a U.S. terrorist organization, has a history of striking U.S. military posts in Iraq and Syria. Its alleged global footprint, however, remains contested; the group’s involvement in 18 European attacks and two Canadian incidents marks a notable escalation.

The commander will appear in Manhattan federal court this week. U.S. authorities have not disclosed how Al‑Saadi was apprehended or transported, leaving questions about the logistics of his arrest.