The IDF conducted a large-scale brigade operation overnight in the Ephraim Brigade sector, aiming to arrest approximately 30 suspects involved in smuggling illegal residents and assisting infiltrations, the military said. The operation is part of a broader strategic shift led by the brigade over the past year, including the establishment of a dedicated intelligence cell for the seam zone and the "Panther" battalion.
The IDF is stepping up enforcement along the seam zone (the boundary between Judea and Samaria and pre-1967 Israel), launching a large-scale brigade operation overnight in the Ephraim Brigade sector. The military said forces aimed to arrest approximately 30 suspects involved in smuggling illegal residents and assisting infiltrations.
The operation is part of a broader strategic shift led by the brigade over the past year, according to the IDF. This includes the establishment of a dedicated intelligence cell for the seam zone, the creation of the "Panther" battalion, thickening security components, and focused activity against smuggling infrastructure.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, the Ephraim Brigade arrested approximately 30 wanted individuals in towns across Samaria, including Tulkarm and Qalqilya, in connection with the smuggling operation. The current announcement provides additional details on the brigade's long-term strategy.
The operation comes amid ongoing concerns about infiltration and smuggling through the seam zone. In early July, the security establishment went on high alert after the discovery of Hamas mass-assault plans that included targets in Judea and Samaria and along the seam zone, as The Zioneer reported.
3 developments
- DevelopingUndercover Border Police arrest four on suspicion of smuggling weapons in southern Israel firing zones
- DevelopingOvernight: IDF arrests dozens of terror suspects in Hebron amid indiscriminate gunfire
- StrongIDF provides additional details on overnight sweep: 5 arrested in Hebron after gunfire, 4 Hamas suspects in Tulkarm
- StrongIsraeli forces stop weapons smuggling in Jordan Valley, arrest Bethlehem suspect
Source and signal
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