IDF continues counterterrorism op, arrests 13 suspects

The country’s security establishment is bracing for further violence.

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

The IDF continued its extensive counterterrorism operation throughout Judea and Samaria and arrested 13 wanted persons suspected of involvement in terrorist activity, following the wave of terror attacks in Israeli cities that claimed 14 lives in the past month.

Early Monday morning, the IDF and Shin Bet security service operated in the Arab villages of Burka and Klil in the Samaria Regional Brigade area and arrested eight wanted men and confiscated four vehicles and two handguns.

During the operation, rioters set fire to tires and threw rocks at the forces. Gunshots were heard in the area. There were no Israeli casualties.

IDF troops also arrested two Hamas operatives in the city of Hebron.

During an operation in the Etzion Regional Brigade, IDF soldiers arrested two suspects who had previously thrown Molotov cocktails.

During operations in the villages of Brookin and Mitlon in the Menashe Territorial Brigade area, the forces arrested two other wanted persons.

An Arab report says that the Israeli security forces arrested Azmi Mansour, a senior officer in the PA’s national security apparatus, at his home in the Shechem area.

All the suspects were taken for questioning by security forces.

Israeli forces arrested another 20 suspects on Sunday.

Israel has experienced four severe terror attacks in recent weeks. On Thursday night, a terrorist from Jenin shot and killed three Israelis in the heart of Tel Aviv. Before that, a terrorist from Yabed shot and killed five people in the city of Bnei Brak.

In the second attack, two Islamist terrorists shot and killed two Israelis in the city of Hadera. In Be’er Sheva, a terrorist stabbed and murdered four Israelis. Jerusalem has been the scene of several attacks as well.

The country’s security establishment is bracing for further violence, especially as Ramadan coincides with Passover, and following the first anniversary of Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021, which was launched by the IDF following a Hamas rocket attack on Jerusalem that began at the height of the Month of Ramadan.