National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir praised a police operation that raided dozens of crime targets across Israel, calling it a model of proactive, aggressive policing. 'Hundreds of officers raiding dozens of targets simultaneously and reaching weapons and drug dealers — this is exactly the policy we are leading,' Ben Gvir said in a statement Monday morning.
At 08:31 Jerusalem, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir praised the police operation that began earlier this morning, calling it a model of proactive, aggressive policing. The operation, which saw hundreds of officers raiding dozens of crime targets nationwide, was first reported by The Zioneer at 07:31 Jerusalem. In a series of updates at that time, The Zioneer revealed that the raid was the culmination of a months-long undercover investigation by a Bedouin agent from the Lahav 433 unit, nicknamed 'The Wanderer,' who infiltrated criminal networks and gathered evidence leading to the arrest of dozens of suspects on charges of illegal arms and drug trafficking. Among those detained are 20 major crime targets, according to police and media reports.
Earlier reports at 07:31 Jerusalem described the operation as a large-scale police raid involving hundreds of officers and special units, initially targeting illegal weapons trade. Over the course of the morning, The Zioneer confirmed that the operation expanded to include drug trafficking, and that the undercover agent had been operating for months. The police statement at 07:31 confirmed the scale of the operation and the charges, while later updates identified the agent and the number of major crime figures arrested.
Ben Gvir, who has made combating crime in Arab society a central policy goal, has previously backed police actions, including a statement of full support for officers who shot a suspected car-rammer at a checkpoint (The Zioneer, Jun 16, 2026). His praise on Monday comes amid criticism from Haredi party sources, who accused him of presiding over a crime surge in the Arab sector (The Zioneer, Jun 29, 2026). The minister did not directly address that criticism in his statement.
It remains unclear whether the operation will continue with additional raids or if further arrests are expected. Police have not yet released a full tally of suspects in custody or the quantity of weapons and drugs seized during the operation.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake