On Friday morning, the Shin Bet released a statement regarding a joint operation conducted in July with the Israel Police and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Several Israeli-Arabs residing in Kfar Qasim were arrested on suspicion of receiving large quantities of high-quality Iranian ammunition. Authorities also discovered two Iranian-made explosive devices and various other weapons in their possession.
The operation extended to a raid on a residential complex in Lod, where Shin Bet and Border Patrol troops found additional Israeli citizens believed to have intended to use one of the seized explosives for criminal activities. An Israeli security official elaborated that the Shin Bet investigation uncovered efforts by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah to establish and operate a network of smugglers within Israel. This network was allegedly tasked with receiving and distributing illegal drugs of an abnormal nature to various parties, including both criminal organizations and terrorist groups.
Among those arrested were Galal Harsa, a 28-year-old resident of Kfar Qasim; Ahmed Issa, a 30-year-old resident of Kfar Qasim; Muhammad Issa, a 39-year-old resident of Kfar Qasim; and Noha Aasem, a 30-year-old resident of Lod. Indictments were filed against these four individuals in the district court on charges of weapons offenses.
4 Arabs from Lod and Kfar Qasim in Israel were arrested by Shin Bet for drug smuggling and illegal weapons. The explosives were Iran-made from the terror organization Hezbollah. All of them are Israeli citizens. #Israel #MiddleEast #Mossad #israeliarabs #Hezbollah #Iran pic.twitter.com/s2f8dpy4VS
ā Ayelet Azoury (@azoury_ayelet) August 24, 2023
A senior official within the Shin Bet later spoke to reporters, emphasizing that this incident underscores the persistent efforts by terrorist elements within Hezbollah and Iran to exploit Arab citizens of Israel for activities threatening state security. The official also noted that the investigation revealed a precarious blurring of lines between security concerns and criminal activity.
In conclusion, the Shin Bet official statement vowed that the General Security Service would continue to act decisively in identifying and preventing any attempts by Iran and Hezbollah to infiltrate weapons into the country. The statement affirmed that the Shin Bet would utilize all available means to halt activities endangering the security of Israel and its citizens, and it pledged to hold those involved accountable. This particular case, according to the Shin Bet, reflects the agency's expanding involvement in the field of illegal weapons and its growing intelligence capabilities across both security and criminal sectors. The service intends to further extend its efforts in this area.
With a very high probability, the drug smuggling platform from Syria to Jordan is used by the Iranians and #Hezbollah in attempts to smuggle weapons for the use of terror operatives in Judea and Samaria.
ā Israel-Alma (@Israel_Alma_org) August 23, 2023
It is possible that the smuggling infrastructure between #Syria and #Jordanā¦ pic.twitter.com/uq7juEcA1b
This news comes amidst a broader context where Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies have been financing extensive terrorist activities across Judea and Samaria. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a public statement, holding Iran responsible for the recent terrorist attacks and resultant killings of Israelis. The ongoing investigation and arrests serve to highlight the intricate web of connections between terrorism, criminality, and international relations in a region marked by complexity and tension.
