The Lead
A vehicle officially registered to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was targeted by gunfire over the weekend in what security officials assess was an attempted assassination of the son of crime boss Shalom Domerani. The car is reportedly registered to Boaz Asayag, a driver for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raising significant questions regarding the vehicle's use and the circumstances of the attack.
The Incident
An Israeli government vehicle, officially registered to the Prime Minister's Office, came under fire over the weekend. According to reports from חדשות 12 (N12) and initial security assessments, the shooting was not a random act of violence but a deliberate assassination attempt. The primary target is believed to be the son of Shalom Domerani, a prominent figure in the Israeli criminal underworld.
The vehicle involved was identified as being registered to Boaz Asayag, who serves as a driver for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Following the incident, the vehicle was seized by authorities for further investigation. While the exact location of the shooting has not been formally released, early indications suggest there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Context and Analysis
The involvement of a PMO-registered vehicle in a criminal assassination attempt presents a significant security and institutional anomaly. In Israel, vehicles assigned to the Prime Minister's Office are typically reserved for official government business and are subject to specific oversight. The fact that such a vehicle was being utilized by individuals associated with a known crime family—or was in their immediate vicinity during a targeted hit—necessitates a high-level inquiry into the car's assignment and potential security breaches.
Security analysts are currently examining whether the attackers were aware of the vehicle's government registration or if the car was targeted solely because of its occupants. This incident occurs against a backdrop of persistent threats against high-profile individuals in Israel, though most recent high-stakes assassination attempts reported by The Zioneer, such as those targeting Yair Netanyahu, have been linked to state actors like Iran rather than domestic criminal organizations.
Outlook
The investigation is now focused on the connection between the PMO driver and the Domerani family. Authorities are expected to look into how a vehicle tied to the Prime Minister's inner circle became entangled in a criminal feud. The Zioneer will continue to follow official updates as security forces work to identify the suspects and clarify the institutional failures that allowed this incident to occur.
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