Ayman al-Zawahiri's Killing Could Escalate Terror Attacks: State Department

The killing of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri by the U.S. could inspire new terrorist attacks, the State Department warned on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden announced on Monday that al-Zawahiri, the leader of Al-Qaeda since the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden, was struck down by a U.S. airstrike on Saturday. As an early mentor to bin Laden, Al-Zawahiri helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. and was the chief architect of the USS Cole bombing in 2000.

The State Department warned that the death of al-Zawahiri could inspire terrorist groups to target Americans and "U.S. interests" abroad in a "worldwide caution" update issued on Tuesday.

"The Department of State believes there is a higher potential for anti-American violence given the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri on July 31, 2022," the caution reads. "Current information suggests that terrorist organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions across the globe."

"These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and bombings," it continued. "U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness when traveling abroad."

The caution did not cite any heightened risk of attacks inside the U.S. or indicate any specific threats abroad. Those planning to travel overseas were urged to consult State Department travel advisories for specific countries and to join the agency's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which can be used to directly alert travelers to terrorist threats.

The State Department, which maintains a "no double standard" policy on important threats—meaning that information on avoiding threats shared with U.S. officials is the same as what is released to the public—declined comment on the caution when contacted by Newsweek.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Monday that "the world is a safer place" after al-Zawahiri's death, while vowing to "continue to act resolutely against those who would threaten our country, our people, or our allies and partners."

Biden said that "people around the world no longer need to fear the vicious and determined killer" following the demise of al-Zawahiri, while praising those who carried out the mission for making "us all safer."

Although the future of Al-Qaeda is unclear following the death of its leader, the intelligence community still considers the organization to be one of the biggest threats to Americans and U.S. interests overseas.

"ISIS, al-Qa'ida, and terrorists aligned with Iran such as Lebanese Hizballah, probably pose the greatest threat to U.S. persons and interests abroad," states the 2022 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

"Al-Qa'ida remains intent on striking U.S. interests; it is more capable of striking U.S. interests in regions where its affiliates operate rather than in the Homeland," it continued.