IDF Spokesperson Unit / The Jerusalem Post
Israeli security forces have prevented the smuggling of over 100 grenades and two rifles into Israel from Lebanon. The weapons are suspected to have been smuggled on behalf of Hezbollah who reportedly seek to preemptively arm Israeli-Arab terrorist living in Israel. This comes after four serious terror attacks were conducted against Israel over the last two months which left 14 people dead.
Israeli forces foiled the attempt to smuggle the weapons into Israel from Lebanon on Monday night, with no arrests being made. Israeli officials stated that they were investigating whether the smuggling was conducted on behalf of the Hezbollah terror group. Officials have already warned of the dangers Hezbollah currently poses as it attempts to arm Israeli Arabs so they can commit further terror attacks against Israel. This comes following growing tensions in the country in the wake of several deadly terror attacks and violence at the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Shariff over the last two months.
Israeli police stated that the fact they seized fragmentation grenades implies “they were intended to carry out attacks against crowded civilian places”. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also supported the position that they were intended to be used in terror attacks and stated that authorities will “continue to suppress crime in the Arab community”.
Last month Israeli authorities also seized dozens of firearms from smugglers, believed to the largest number of weapons seized coming from Lebanon. On Monday, the IDF’s Arabic language spokesman also revealed the identity of Hatem Sheet, accusing him of running drugs and weapons smuggling operations from his home for Hezbollah. Using the balcony of his home close to the Israeli border, he gathered intelligence on IDF movements and positions to coordinate smuggling operations across the Lebanon-Israel border.
