As the 2024 Paris Olympics kick off, Israeli officials are sounding alarm bells about a potential terrorist threat targeting their athletes. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has warned France about a possible plot involving Iranian-backed groups aiming to disrupt the games and harm Israeli delegates. With the Olympics starting on July 26, French security forces are ramping up protection, but the tension is palpable. Meanwhile, recent arrests in Belgium and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East add to the mounting concern. Will the games be marred by a dark twist reminiscent of the 1972 Munich massacre?

On Friday, July 26, the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will formally begin, but there are already alerts indicating that terrorists may try to sabotage the competition. Israel is now adamantly alerting the world that its athletes are easy pickings.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz alerted Stéphane Séjourné, his counterpart in France, on Friday of a possible conspiracy to assault the Israeli athletes’ delegation, which is purportedly supported by Iran.

“There are those who seek to undermine the celebratory nature of this joyous event,” wrote Katz in the message. “We currently have assessments regarding the potential threat posed by Iranian terrorist proxies and other terrorist organizations who aim to carry out attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics.”

Katz acknowledged that French security services had implemented “unprecedented security measures” to safeguard Israeli spectators during the events. He added that some calls from the Left to bar all Israeli athletes from competing in the Olympics were turned down by the French government.

Eighty-eight Israeli athletes are participating in the games, and it is said that French and Israeli security forces are providing them with unprecedented round-the-clock protection. Israel has not yet publicly provided any proof to support its claim that Iranian proxies are preparing an attack.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Congress for nearly an hour last night, mostly focusing on the “Iran threat,” just before this latest warning. He made the argument that Tehran is the main supporter of Hezbollah and Hamas and that it is responsible for “all the killing” and “all the terrorism” in the Middle East.

It’s troubling to see that seven individuals were detained by Belgian police on Thursday on suspicion of planning a “terrorist attack.” According to federal prosecutors, it was the outcome of 14 raids and extensive national counterterrorism monitoring.

A government spokesperson asserted that there is currently no proof of a connection to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. According to a statement provided by AFP, “no details as to the locations or targets but what was found leads us to believe an attack was being prepared.”

Each of them “are suspected of participation in a terrorist group’s activities, financing of terrorism and preparation of a terrorist attack.”

There have already been accusations of protest groups posing a threat to the Israeli mission in Paris.

Israel is concerned that the 1972 Munich Olympic Games atrocity could happen again, even as the Gaza War rages and the number of Palestinian deaths rises.

A handful of Israeli athletes were kidnapped and killed by members of the Palestinian militant group Black September. The world was stunned by an incident that claimed the lives of twelve people, nearly all of them were members of the Israeli Olympic team.

Last month, GreatGameInternational reported that the French interior minister told AP News that France foiled a planned attack on the Paris Olympics, with the man preparing an attack targeting the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium.