After years of threatening Hezbollah and Iranian interests in Lebanon, and solely claiming responsibility for attacks outside the country, the Brigades of Abdullah Azzam took credit for the November 19, 2013, twin suicide bombings near the Iranian embassy in Beirut.
Since September 2010, the Brigades had released a stream of propaganda vilifying the Iran-Syria-Hezbollah nexus and calling Lebanese Sunni Muslims to mount an uprising. At the onset of the Syrian revolution in March 2011, and for its duration, the group escalated its anti-Iran, anti-Hezbollah rhetoric, giving several warnings to Hezbollah in particular to extricate itself from Syria or face consequences. The Brigades ultimately followed through on its threat, potentially setting up the groundwork for a new jihadi front in Lebanon.
While not officially merged with al-Qaeda, the Brigades is inspired and strongly tied to the organization. Indeed, the group's founders and leaders are among al-Qaeda members wanted by Saudi Arabia for participation in extremist activity abroad, including Majid bin Muhammad al-Majid and Saleh bin Abdullah al-Qara'awi. Moreover, the Brigades had pledged allegiance in 2009 to then-al-Qaeda leader Usama bin Laden, and in its propaganda, has espoused the same global jihadi goals and ideals held by the organization, including the determination to hit Israel and establish an Islamic Caliphate.