The attack on the Temple Israel synagogue earlier this month was a “Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community and the largest Jewish temple in Michigan,” the FBI said Monday.

The assailant, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, drove a car into the Detroit-area synagogue, which describes itself as the country’s largest Jewish Reform congregation, around noon on March 12. He died after exchanging gunfire with security. One security guard was injured in the attack. No children or staff members were injured.

In a news conference Monday afternoon, the FBI said Ghazali was “inspired by Hezbollah’s militant ideology” and showed intent to commit an act of violence. Although authorities could not directly link the assailant to the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, they said there is no legal distinction between being a formal member of a foreign terrorist organization and believing in its ideology.

“It makes no legal difference if the current leader of Hezbollah himself, Naim Qassem, called this man and told him to attack Temple Israel, or whether he simply heeded Hezbollah’s call to kill Jews,” said Jerome Gorgon, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The FBI investigation revealed that Ghazali frequently consumed pro-Hezbollah and Iranian news, as well as videos about shootouts and bullets. His internet history showed search results related to Jewish gatherings and institutions in Michigan. Ghazali had not previously been on a terrorist watchlist or the subject of prior investigations, according to the FBI.

Beginning March 9, Ghazali started viewing webpages of local synagogues early in the morning, including upcoming events at Temple Israel. That same afternoon, he attempted to purchase a firearm from two different individuals but was denied. He eventually purchased an AR-style rifle at a gun store in Dearborn Heights, along with 10 rifle magazines and approximately 300 rounds of .223 ammunition. He also bought more than $2,200 worth of fireworks and possessed more than 30 gallons of gasoline.

Prior to the attack, Ghazali posted pictures of his brothers, nieces and nephews, who were reportedly killed in a recent Israeli airstrike, on social media with phrases about retribution against Israel. He also sent 19 messages to his sister from the parking lot of the synagogue moments before the attack. His sister asked him to stop sending the messages, but he continued. The FBI said he also shared “five short phone calls” with his ex-wife, who called Dearborn Heights police to request a welfare check.

The attack comes amid the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, which began Feb. 28 and has since expanded to the wider region, including to Lebanon. More than 4,700 people have been killed in Iran and another 1,200 killed in Lebanon, according to the country’s health ministry. Two United Nations peacekeepers were also killed in Lebanon, according to the U.N.

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