The Israel Security Agency revealed on Monday that it had thwarted Iranian attempts in recent months to smuggle advanced weapons into Judea and Samaria.
These shipments were to be delivered to terror operatives in the territory for use against Israeli targets.
The ISA worked in cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces to uncover the plot, which was brought to light during questioning of detained Palestinians suspected of planning to carry out terror attacks.
According to the ISA, Unit 4000 of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Special Operations Division and Unit 18840 of the Quds Force in Syria were involved in the plot.
Munir Makdah, a senior Fatah official from Lebanon’s Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, was also involved, according to the investigation. The ISA said that Makdah has been known for years to be “working for Hezbollah and the IRGC, and continues to try and advance terror attacks these days.”
During the terror suspects’ interrogations, it was revealed that Makdah had attempted to recruit Judea and Samaria Palestinians to carry out terror attacks and smuggle weapons. He also worked on funding the operations.
The IDF captured a “significant” assortment of advanced weapons smuggled into Judea and Samaria from Iran, including two large BTB15 fragmentation bombs, five YM-2 anti-tank landmines with fuses, four M203 grenade launchers, 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of C4 plastic explosives, 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of Semtex plastic explosives, 13 shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles, 15 RPG launchers, 16 RPG-7 rockets and propellant, 15 hand grenades, 33 M4 assault rifles and 50 handguns.
According to the statement, the ISA and IDF are working to locate additional weapons smuggled into Judea and Samaria and to kill and capture terrorist cells recruited by Iranian operatives.
The agency said it views the Iranian smuggling attempts with “severity” and that it will “continue to carry out active measures at all times to monitor and thwart any activity that endangers the security of the State of Israel and its citizens, to expose and harm the Iranians’ efforts to carry out terror activities within Israel’s territory and…to bring those involved to justice.”
Source » jns