Mississippi synagogue burned in arson attack, suspect in custody

The blaze broke out shortly after 3 a.m. at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, the state's largest synagogue. No congregants were injured, officials said.

Photos from the scene showed severe damage to an administrative office and the synagogue's library, where several Torahs were destroyed or damaged.

Officials did not immediately release the name of the suspect or what charges the person was facing.

"As Jackson's only synagogue, Beth Israel is a beloved institution, and it is the fellowship of our neighbors and extended community that will see us through," the institute said in a statement.

"This hateful act is only the most recent symptom of the dangerous rising antisemitism facing Jewish communities across the country and around the world," it said.

The Anti-Defamation League called the incident a "deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community."

"Beth Israel survived a KKK bombing in 1967," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. "That it has been attacked again, amid a surge of antisemitic incidents across the US, is a stark reminder: antisemitic violence is escalating, and it demands total condemnation and swift action from everyone - including community leaders, law enforcement, and government officials."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.