Understanding Islamic State’s Global Comeback

On Monday, armed men attacked a Shiite mosque in Oman, killing six and wounding dozens more. After the attack, Islamic State (IS) took credit; the Pentagon told reporters the next day that the terrorist group claimed responsibility for 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria during the first half of 2024, more than it carried out in those countries in all of the previous year. Further afield, IS has carried out major attacks in Russia, Iran, Turkey, and Niger, while police and security services have thwarted several planned attacks in Europe. Aaron Zelin argues that these activities are not the work of disparate branches all bearing the same brand name, but part of something better coordinated: