In less than 48 hours, Israel witnessed three separate terrorist attacks in different regions, signaling a concerning escalation of terrorism in the country. The incidents occurred in the Benjamin Regional Council area, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, resulting in injuries but no fatalities. As a result of the increase in attacks, Israeli leaders are looking to technology to help predict and thwart future attacks.
The first attack took place in Ma'ale Adumim on Tuesday, where a terrorist opened fire near a mall, injuring five people. Fortunately, an off-duty Border Patrol officer present in the vicinity neutralized the attacker, preventing further casualties. Later the same day, at the Ishtamo intersection in the southern part of Mount Hebron, another attempted attack occurred when a terrorist attempted to stab an IDF officer. A driver, who was giving the officer a ride, acted swiftly and shot the attacker, thwarting the threat.
The IDF is at least several years ahead of most modern army in the use of AI both for planning and execution of security operations.
— Fella Monk🇺🇦🇮🇱🇺🇸 (@sageblackmonk) July 16, 2023
The third attack unfolded on Wednesday near the Hamra Junction in the Jordan Valley, where terrorists opened fire on an Israeli vehicle. Remarkably, the passengers suffered only minor injuries caused by shattered glass rather than bullets. The attackers escaped, prompting Israeli security forces to launch a manhunt.
Throughout Judea and Samaria, the security cabinet in the Knesset remained on high alert and maintained close communication with the Israel Defense Forces. During a visit to the IDF's Central Command, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant acknowledged the need to focus on combating individual terrorism. However, due to limitations in manpower for manhunts, they emphasized the development of Artificial Intelligence technology within the IDF's chain of command to effectively track down terrorists and eradicate terrorism from the region. The goal would be to build a smart system that could predict behavior in the hopes of not just hunting down terrorists after an attack but preventing the attacks in the first place.
A notable focus of the security establishment has been on the city of Nablus and its surrounding villages. A dedicated task force consisting of the Shin Bet and the IDF Intelligence Division is actively pursuing terrorist cells in the area. The security agencies remain cautiously optimistic about their progress in completing this vital mission.
Bloomberg published a report discussing the IDF’s “Fire Factory” artificial intelligence platform used in conjunction with another AI platform to vastly multiply how many targets the IDF can study and strike simultaneously.
— IAEAI - The Israeli Association for Ethics in AI (@IAEAIEthics) July 24, 2023
The Jerusalem Post published an extended report on the… pic.twitter.com/NLegPPKUci
As the situation remains volatile, the Israeli authorities are committed to enhancing their security measures and employing advanced technologies to ensure the safety of citizens and prevent further attacks. The recent incidents underscore the ongoing challenge of combating terrorism, but Israel's resolute efforts demonstrate its determination to address the threat and protect its people.
