PIJ stands for Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which is a Palestinian Islamist paramilitary organization formed in 1981. It is a Sunni Islamist militant group seeking to establish an Islamist Palestinian state that is committed to the destruction of Israel. PIJ formed as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood and was influenced ideologically in its formation by the Islamic regime in Iran. The organizations financial backing has historically come mainly from Syria and Hezbollah. PIJs military wing, al-Quds Brigades, has been responsible for many attacks on Israeli targets since the 1990s. PIJ primarily employs small-arms and mortar and rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip against Israeli targets in Israel and the West Bank. PIJ has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel.