Israel and the Palestinian Territories 

Shin Bet: 4 Israelis Arrested As Part of Hezbollah ‘Weapons Smuggling Ring’ 

The Shin Bet security agency revealed on Thursday that in July, four Israeli citizens were arrested for suspected ties to the Hezbollah terror group and were allegedly involved in smuggling Iranian-made explosive devices into the country. According to the Shin Bet, three residents of the northern Arab town of Kafr Qasim were arrested over suspicions they had smuggled into Israel “a large number of quality weapons.” The agency said two Iranian-made explosive devices, among other weapons, were seized during their arrest. In a separate raid in the central city of Lod, security forces arrested another Israeli planning to use a similar explosive device for a criminal-related bombing.  

“The Shin Bet investigation revealed that Hezbollah worked to recruit and operate an infrastructure of smugglers in Israel for the purpose of distributing unusual illegal weapons to various parties, including criminal elements,” the agency said in a statement. 

The Shin Bet named the suspects Jalal Khursa, 28, Ahmed Issa, 30, Muhammed Issa, 39, from Kafr Qasim, and Nuh Assam, 30, from Lod. They were indicted Wednesday on various weapons offenses, prompting the agency to publicize details of the investigation. 

“This affair once again illustrates the efforts of terror elements from Hezbollah and Iran to exploit the Arab citizens of Israel for [terror] activities against the state,” a senior Shin Bet official said. “It also emerged in the investigation that the line between [terror] and criminal [activity] is extremely thin,” the official added. Hezbollah has been accused of being involved in weapons and drug smuggling attempts from Lebanon into Israel. Police officials have previously warned that arms smuggled into the country, heading to criminal organizations in the Arab community, would also be available for terror attacks in the event of a surge in violence between Jews and Arabs.  

Hamas Said To Take Responsibility For Hebron Area Attack, Contradicting Fatah Group’s Claim 

Hamas reportedly took responsibility for Monday’s deadly shooting attack near Hebron, Al-Jazeera claimed, citing a source within the Gaza-based terror group. This would contradict an earlier announcement by the rival Fatah movement’s military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, which claimed its fighters were the ones responsible for the attack that killed 42-year-old Batsheva Nigri.  

Relatedly, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh ruled out any political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and called for unifying the ranks of the Palestinian “armed resistance” in the West Bank and for escalating attacks following the attack on Monday. At a meeting of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) leaders held in Gaza, Haniyeh called for improved coordination between armed factions in the West Bank and noted that the Oslo agreements and any other attempts at a political solution have failed, according to a report by the Hamas-affiliated Shehab News.  

At the same time, despite this apparent show of audacity, leaders of armed Palestinian factions in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip are taking heightened precautions over concerns Israel could target them following several recent deadly terror attacks. Sources in the “resistance” said Palestinian figures in Lebanon have also adopted enhanced security measures, saying they take the Israeli threats seriously, and issued their typical warning of “major escalations” if Israel carried out any targeted killings.  

Syria 

Israeli Strikes Hit Military Targets Near Damascus, Syrian State Media Says 

At least one pro-government fighter was injured in Israeli strikes on military targets near Damascus late on Monday, Syria's state media reported. State TV quoted a military official as saying that Israel fired missiles from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights at military positions near the capital. The official news agency SANA said one soldier was wounded in the attack that caused “material damage."  

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