Iran is behind a string of terror attacks by criminal networks on Israeli embassies in Europe since October 7, the Mossad intelligence agency said on Thursday.

The agency opened up an investigation alongside European counterparts after an explosive device, said to be a hand grenade, was found inside the grounds of the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm in January and destroyed by the Swedish national bomb squad.

After interrogating the suspects and examining forensic evidence, the investigators concluded that the Foxtrot organized crime ring in Sweden was behind the attack, at Iran’s behest, according to the Mossad.

Foxtrot leader Rawa Majid — known as “the Kurdish Fox” —  has been working with Iran for months, Israel alleged. He was recruited by Iranian agents after he fled to Iran from Turkey in September of last year, pursued by international law enforcement and Iraqi security forces.

He was arrested by Iran and recruited to plan a string of attacks in Europe against Jewish and Israeli targets, according to the Mossad.

There have been dozens of Iran-backed terror plots against Jewish and Israeli targets uncovered in recent months, said the Israeli agency, many of which use local criminal networks.

On May 17, Swedish police heard gunshots late at night near the Israeli embassy. They detained a 14-year-old boy in connection to the shooting and made known that the Israeli embassy was the target.

That shooting was carried out by the Rumba crime group, said the Mossad, headed by Majid’s rival Ismail Abdo and also directed by Iran.

“Iran operates many criminal organizations in Sweden and Europe in general, while taking advantage of the relative advantage of each and sometimes the rivalry between them,” said the Israeli statement.

Foxtrot and Rumba receive funding and direction directly from Iran, the Mossad alleged, and are closely monitored by European intelligence.

The spy agency also accused Iran of trying to take advantage of rising antisemitism in Europe while avoiding direct responsibility for attacks.

“There is no change in the travel warning levels in the various countries,” a Mossad official said.

“Countermeasures continue all the time wherever necessary,” the official continued.

The Mossad said that Iranian-backed criminals were also behind last week’s attack on Israel’s embassy in Belgium in which two airsoft grenades were thrown.

The statement did not mention the armed man who set fire to a synagogue in the northern French city of Rouen earlier this month and was later killed by police. With the Paris Olympics two months away — and the war in Gaza likely to continue beyond the summer — French security services are on high alert for possible terror attacks.

AFP contributed to this report.