Foreign Islamist terrorist groups have been a constant threat for several decades, but the tactics of groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS have undergone a shift. 

In its coverage of these developments in the context of the Iran war, NPR highlighted ISD research that uncovered seven ISIS-inspired plots and attacks in the US in 2025. The outlet interviewed ISD Senior Research Manager Matthew Ivanovich, who highlighted the uptick in the threat as ISIS has reconstituted in areas of Africa and Syria under a new, decentralized model that encourages actors to conduct attacks where they are. 

“It’s much rarer these days to see a direct Islamic State coordinated and planned attack,” Matthew said. “You know, it’s not like in the heyday where you have recruiters on Telegram or individuals directing them [or] sending them funds. Their goal now is: get these self-radicalized individuals to conduct plots.” 

Matthew also highlighted the recent increased presence of ISIS propaganda across social media platforms. 

“With the lowering of moderation and trust and safety investment in online platforms, we started to see an increase in engagement by what could really just be called Islamic State influencers on mainstream platforms and mainstream social media.” 

The full article is available on NPR.