Al-Qaeda: American Forces Arriving in Middle East Are Part of ‘Zionist-Crusader’ Project Against Islam

The global jihad is alive, well and marching against infidels everywhere. Part of its mission is to obliterate the State of Israel. Since America supports Israel’s right to exist and has come to its defense (and fought jihadis in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere), it is deemed a “Zionist Crusader” state and an enemy of Islam. Yes, of Islam, whether expressed stealthily or overtly, not only of al-Qaeda, as is indicated in this report. “Al-Qaeda Central Command Declares American Forces Arriving In Middle East Part Of ‘Zionist-Crusader’ Project Against Islam,” MEMRI, February 4, 2026:

On February 4, 2026, Al-Sahab, the official media arm of Al-Qaeda’s central command, released a statement titled “Learn from This, You Who Can See.” The statement argues that a U.S.-led “Zionist-Crusader” coalition against Islam is once again mobilizing and urges Muslims to rise against American forces in the Middle East and against Israel.[1]

The statement claims that the current “mobilization,” likely referring to U.S. forces gathering in the region as tensions with Iran have risen, is a continuation of a “Crusader project” embarked upon at the beginning of the 21st century. Then, it argued, the September 11 attacks disrupted Western plans to occupy Muslim lands and bring destruction to them. Framing the matter as a religious obligation, it asserts that Muslims must confront Western military mobilization before it deepens its foothold in the region.

To bolster its argument, the statement invokes the precedent of Prophet Muhammad’s actions. It compares the situation to his expedition to Tabuk, presenting it as an example of preemptive action against a looming threat. It claims that the “war on terror” has expended itself, but the West is now returning with a new pretext, depicting the conflict as shifting from one arena to another. It asserts that Afghanistan was targeted “yesterday,” Gaza today, and that Afghanistan will be targeted again “tomorrow,” extending this warning to other Muslim-majority countries and regions…

As Al-Qaeda references a US.-led “‘Zionist-Crusader’ coalition against Islam,” its view is consistent with that of every surrounding jihad group that the tiny State of Israel is left to confront. Many are trying to end America’s support for Israel, without realizing that all infidel territory is regarded by Islam as Dar al Harb (House of War) to be conquered. What makes Israel a particular targeted is its location, as it is almost surrounded by Islamic countries; also, Jews are particularly hated in Islam for their rejection of Mohammad in Medina.

The Palestinian “resistance,” according to the Palestinian National Charter, has the goal of obliterating Israel altogether. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation declared the Palestinian cause to be the central cause of the Muslim ummah, while Hamas also declares that “Palestine is the spirit of the Ummah and its central cause; it is the soul of humanity and its living conscience.” Every OIC member wants to see East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. According to the Middle East Eye:

Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims from across Palestine and the wider Muslim world each year.

The mosque also serves as a symbol of Palestinian resistance, and has often been targeted by Israeli forces in raids.

The Palestinian “resistance” against Israel is supported in mainstream Islam, of which Al-Qaeda is a part. Islam’s violent wing includes al-Qaeda along with Hamas, an offshoot of the prominent Muslim Brotherhood, and other jihad groups. The Brotherhood is also now present in almost every Western country, including the US, UK, EU and in Canada. October 7 was used as a springboard to “globalize the intifada” and expand the scope of the jihad. As time goes on since then, the world is increasingly witnessing what 1,400 years of Islam has really been all about.