The conflict in Iran is prompting an increase in security at locations throughout New York state.
New York State Police officials say their increased efforts aim to keep the community safe, following a directive from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Hochul has directed state intelligence and resources to keep sensitive sites and locations secure during the ongoing attacks in Iran.
“I directed that my intelligence community, my cyber experts here in the state of New York to coordinate with local law enforcement as well as federal law enforcement to make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep locations secure, whether it’s places of worship for the Jewish communities, whether it’s places of worship for the Muslim communities or any place of gathering what we think could be under threat,” the governor stated.
Hochul made those comments on Monday after the joint assault on Iran by the U.S. and Israel over the weekend.
It was followed up by Tehran and its allies hitting back against Israel and the neighboring regions.
New York State Police say they are increasing patrols around religious and cultural sites, along with critical infrastructure across the state, as a precautionary measure.
They add that they have also been in touch with religious and cultural leaders to establish lines of communication in case they have a specific safety concern.
And the State Police is urging the public to come forward, saying if you see something suspicious, please report it to law enforcement.
They say to call 911 or their reporting information line at 866-723-3697.
“I also want to speak directly to Iranian New Yorkers that you are safe here,” Hochul said. “We will continue to ensure that, you belong here and that you feel that the state of New York is doing everything we can to protect you. And the same with Jewish communities who also feel that there could be retribution against them.”
Hochul says there are no credible threats across the state at this time.
The governor also said any hate or retaliation against anyone who calls New York home will not be tolerated.
She is calling for transparency and steady leadership from the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. has the capability to go for longer than its projected four-to-five-week time frame for its military operations against Iran.