HOW MANY TERRORIST ATTACKS HAVE THERE BEEN

1. Why a single global tally is elusive

Counting “terrorist attacks” requires definitions and exclusions that vary by outlet and government: Wikipedia’s running list includes incidents described by “a consensus of reliable sources” and excludes cartel/drug violence and ongoing military conflicts, which means different compilations will yield different totals ^[4]. Government agencies, media organizations and think‑tanks apply competing criteria — target, motive, perpetrator identity, whether state or non‑state — so a definitive single number is not present in the available reporting ^[4].

2. Recent high‑profile deadly attacks the record highlights

Multiple outlets reported deadly incidents in mid‑December 2025: the Bondi Beach shooting, declared a terrorist attack by Australian authorities, left between 12 and 16 people dead and dozens wounded according to The Soufan Center and PBS reporting ^{[5] [1]}. Separate reporting cites other deadly attacks and ambushes — for example, a Syria ambush that killed three Americans and other regional incidents covered by The Guardian and related briefings ^{[6] [5]}. These are examples of discrete, high‑casualty events that drive public counts but do not equal a full global tally ^{[1] [6]}.

3. Disrupted plots and arrests also alter the picture

Counterterrorism work frequently prevents attacks, and media coverage therefore records both violent incidents and thwarted conspiracies. U.S. authorities announced arrests of four alleged members of an extremist group planning coordinated New Year’s‑Eve bombings across Southern California; federal prosecutors said the plan involved simultaneous backpack bombs at five or more locations and that the conspirators tested devices in the Mojave Desert ^{[3] [2]}. Reporting from The Guardian, BBC and PBS confirms the disruption and arrest narrative ^{[7] [8] [2]}.

4. Sources show regional spikes and differing emphases

Analysts at The Soufan Center compiled an “intelbrief” noting several deadly attacks and a disrupted plot across Australia, Syria and Germany, stressing the continued jihadi and extremist threat ^[5]. National agencies emphasize local concerns: U.S. DHS and FBI releases highlight arrests, alleged foreign‑born suspects tied to ISIS‑K, and warnings about persons who entered under Operation Allies Welcome — a framing used in official DHS messaging ^[9]. These sources reveal different institutional priorities: public safety reporting, domestic law enforcement wins, and geopolitical framing ^{[5] [9]}.

5. Watch for politicized narratives and competing claims

Official statements can carry policy agendas. DHS press releases emphasize arrests among Afghan entrants under Operation Allies Welcome and characterize those cases as part of a pattern, a framing with explicit policy implications ^[9]. Other outlets and analysts highlight the significance of thwarted plots to validate counterterrorism cooperation and resource allocation ^{[3] [2]}. Readers should note that some local or partisan outlets (not included in these snippets) may amplify numbers or link incidents to immigration policy without uniform corroboration; the provided sources themselves present competing emphases ^{[9] [3]}.

6. Where to look next for a working count

For an approximate total you must pick a counting method: use Wikipedia’s “List of terrorist incidents in 2025” as a running, sourced ledger (though its scope and exclusions are explicit) or aggregate government reports (FBI, DHS, NCTC) and major media databases, understanding each will filter incidents differently ^{[4] [10]}. The FBI maintains terrorism press releases and case pages that can be tallied but the snippet list does not contain an aggregate number in the provided reporting ^[10].

Limitations and final note

Available sources here document several major attacks and disrupted plots and point readers to running lists (Wikipedia) and agency press releases, but none of the provided snippets supplies a definitive global count of terrorist attacks for 2025. If you want a numerical total, specify which definition and which sources you want included (e.g., only attacks causing fatalities, only incidents labeled “terrorism” by governments, or Wikipedia’s consensus list), and I will compile and cite a counted list from the sources you authorize ^{[4] [3] [5]}.