Wave of hoax bomb threats sent to schools in UK, Ireland and Italy

Live updates

1. 43m ago

   Hoax bomb threats evacuate hundreds of Italian schools, spread to UK and Ireland

   Hundreds of schools across Italy were evacuated Wednesday after emailed bomb threats hit roughly 6,300 institutions, with simultaneous alerts forcing evacuations and lockdowns at schools in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Police in all three jurisdictions have declared the threats hoaxes and no explosive devices have been found. The coordinated wave marks the latest in a series of disruptive incidents targeting European infrastructure.

   Why it matters

   The scale and synchronization of the emailed threats, thousands of schools across four nations on a single day, suggest an organized campaign rather than isolated pranks. European security officials are assessing whether a state-linked actor is testing response capabilities or seeking to destabilize daily life. Previous similar waves have targeted transport hubs, government buildings and media outlets across the continent.

   What is confirmed

   • About 6,300 Italian schools received emailed bomb threats on Wednesday, prompting mass evacuations.
   • Hundreds of Italian schools were evacuated as a precaution.
   • Schools in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland also received emailed threats on the same day.
   • Police in Italy, the UK and Ireland have declared the threats hoaxes and found no explosive devices.

   Still unconfirmed

   • European officials suspect Russia or Iran may be behind the coordinated disruption campaign.

   What to watch next

   • Attribution findings from European intelligence agencies
   • Whether further waves target other sectors such as transport or energy
   • Arrests or technical indicators linking the email infrastructure to known threat actors
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. flipboard.com — Beloved singer’s wife killed after welcoming robbery suspects with lemonade
   2. abc17news.com — Dutch zookeeper dies after being attacked by leopard
   3. kvia.com — Dutch zookeeper dies after being attacked by leopard
   4. keyt.com — Hundreds of World War I munitions exposed by melting ice removed from Dolomites
   5. www.thenews.com.pk — SpaceX fires all 33 engines on super heavy booster 22 in Starship flight 15 test
   6. Reuters — At least 300 Italian schools evacuated after email bomb alerts
   7. CNN — Hundreds of schools evacuated in Italy following bomb threats via email
   8. France 24 — Italy evacuates hundreds of schools after receiving email bomb threats
   9. The New York Times — Hundreds of Schools in Italy Are Evacuated as More Bomb Threats Rattle Europe
   10. BBC — Hundreds of Italian schools hit by threats in suspected bomb hoax
   11. www.abc.net.au — Hoax bomb alerts sent to schools in Italy, UK and Ireland in latest disruption - ABC News
   12. rt-english.com — Mass bomb hoax sparks school evacuations across Europe — RT World News
   confidence 92%