Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old Lebanese-born naturalized U.S. citizen, died after ramming a truck containing explosives and a rifle into the hallway of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The attacker was engaged by the facility’s armed security and was found dead inside his burning vehicle. The FBI is currently leading the investigation, classifying the incident as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.
All 140 children and over 30 staff members present at the synagogue’s early childhood center were unharmed during the breach. The facility’s private security team initiated the immediate response. One security guard was struck by the vehicle and knocked unconscious. Between 30 and 50 responding law enforcement officers required medical treatment for smoke inhalation after the truck caught fire within the building.
On Thursday, a suspect identified as 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali was killed after intentionally ramming a vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and opening fire. The FBI is investigating as a "targeted act of violence against the Jewish community pic.twitter.com/pfvTIkqqcc
— Evener Entertainment (@ETheEvolution) March 13, 2026
The incident follows the recent deaths of four of Ghazali’s relatives in the Middle East. According to Iskander Barakeh, the mayor of the Lebanese town of Mashgharah, Ghazali’s two brothers, a niece, and a nephew were killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 5, 2026. Local officials stated the family members were gathered for a fast-breaking Ramadan meal in the Bekaa Valley when the strike occurred. Ghazali reportedly withdrew socially in the days following the deaths before executing the attack in Michigan.
The March 5 airstrike is part of the ongoing military engagements involving Israeli forces and Hezbollah across the region, reflecting how conflicts in one part of the world are impacting domestic security. Homeland Security confirmed Ghazali’s identity in rolling updates released throughout Friday. The attack at the prominent Reform synagogue prompted immediate security reviews and drew the attention of state representatives, including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Senator Elissa Slotkin, as federal agencies continue to process the scene.