IDF, Shin Bet foil large-scale Iranian weapons smuggling plot

The Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced on Wednesday that they had thwarted an Iranian weapons-smuggling operation aimed at supplying terrorist operatives in Judea and Samaria.

“This shipment, like its predecessors, is part of an ongoing Iranian effort to destabilize security in the region by arming terror cells, whose goal is to carry out attacks against Israelis and IDF forces,” the IDF and Shin Bet said in a joint statement.

The seized cache was sent by Iran’s Unit 4000, the special operations division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Unit 840, a special operations unit of IRGC’s Quds Force, which has primarily operated out of Syria, according to the Shin Bet. Both units report to Asghar Bakri, head of Unit 840.

The smuggling was exposed following the arrest of an arms dealer from the Ramallah area in recent months. During the investigation, authorities uncovered his connection to Iranian-backed weapons smugglers.

Weapons seized included: 29 claymore anti-personnel mines; four drones (two of which were explosive drones); 15 anti-tank rockets and an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) launcher with three rockets; 20 hand grenades; 53 pistols; seven assault rifles of various types; nine machine guns; and 750 pistol bullets. The IDF noted that the seizure follows interceptions of similar Iranian arms shipments on March 25 and Nov. 27, 2024.

“This counterterrorism activity is part of an overall campaign against weapons smugglers. Last July, the IDF and the Shin Bet in Lebanon eliminated Qassem al-Husseini and Muhammad Sha’ib, who operated under the Quds Force and were involved in sending weapons and directing activity in Judea and Samaria,” the IDF and Shin Bet said.

In addition, the IDF completed three large-scale brigade anti-terror operations on Tuesday night in coordination with the Shin Bet and Border Police. The simultaneous operations covered several villages and refugee camps and included the arrest of terrorists, searches in more than 200 buildings and the destruction of an explosive device.

The Binyamin Brigade operated in the Ramallah area, including the Jalazone and Qalandiya refugee camps, as well as additional villages. Troops searched over 180 sites, arrested three terrorists who had thrown rocks, and confiscated weapon parts, Molotov cocktails, materials inciting terrorism and combat equipment.

The Ephraim Brigade, operating in the Qalqilya and Tulkarm areas, located and seized Hamas flags used to promote incitement to terrorism and discovered a pipe bomb, which was safely destroyed by sappers.

Meanwhile, the Judah Brigade conducted coordinated operations in the Hebron area and seven nearby villages. They arrested a suspected terrorist and confiscated weapon parts and additional combat materials.

The IDF said the operations were part of its ongoing campaign to disrupt terrorist infrastructure and prevent attacks against Israeli civilians and security forces.

©JNS