Israel Reveals Largest Ammunition Theft in Army’s History

Archival photo of the Israeli Tzeelim military base in the Negev desert
Archival photo of the Israeli Tzeelim military base in the Negev desert
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Israel Reveals Largest Ammunition Theft in Army’s History

Archival photo of the Israeli Tzeelim military base in the Negev desert
Archival photo of the Israeli Tzeelim military base in the Negev desert

A military base has been subjected to the largest theft in its history, mainly involving a large quantity of ammunition, according to an Israeli army spokesman.

Last week, an ammunition warehouse was stormed in a military base in southern Israel, during which ammunition was stolen, the spokesman said in a statement on Sunday.

The police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and a report will be sent to the military prosecution, he added.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the site stormed was the Tzeelim military training base in southern Israel, from which more than 93,000 bullets were stolen.

This was one of the largest ammunition thefts in the history of the army, especially from such a large and fortified military base that had seen several thefts of weapons and military equipment during the past decade, sources added.

The robbers took advantage of a security hole to storm the army’s central ammunition warehouse, an expert said, noting that they learned the timing or guard shifts at the military base and were able to access the ammunition store by obtaining the help of some soldiers from the inside.

They were able within a few minutes to transfer hundreds of ammunition boxes from the store to cars.

The stolen ammunition is worth millions of dollars. Israeli police fear it has been sold to criminal parties, as well as in areas run by the Palestinian Authority.

No suspects have been arrested yet.

The police is leading the investigation in the south along with the military police. Perpetrators are assumed to be a gang from the Bedouin towns in the Negev desert.

Yedioth Ahronoth Newspaper has indicated that the theft took place after the army and the interior ministry decided in the past two years to wage a fierce war against the gangs that control the Negev.

“This comes as part of a series of new steps and measures in an attempt to combat the weapons theft phenomenon, especially in the south.”

These gangs are specialized in smuggling drugs and weapons at the border with Egypt, the news website explained, noting that their business is currently flourishing through a greater number of successful smuggling operations than those being thwarted.

The Israeli army has invested millions of dollars in improving the protection systems in this military base and other bases in the Negev, and it purchased advanced siren systems, used surveillance equipment, and installed cameras and radars.



Japan FM Says He Will Attend Trump Inauguration Ceremony

Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrives at Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's official residence in Tokyo, Japan October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrives at Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's official residence in Tokyo, Japan October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
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Japan FM Says He Will Attend Trump Inauguration Ceremony

Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrives at Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's official residence in Tokyo, Japan October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrives at Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's official residence in Tokyo, Japan October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Sunday he planned to attend Donald Trump's inauguration as US president on Jan. 20, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government hopes to maintain close ties with its security ally.

"We aim to build a relationship of trust with the Trump administration securely," Iwaya told a talk show on public broadcaster NHK. He said he was seeking a meeting with Senator Marco Rubio, Trump's pick to be secretary of state.

India and Australia also announced that their foreign ministers would attend the swearing-in as Trump returns to the White House, Reuters reported.

It will be Iwaya's first visit to the United States since he became foreign minister in October. Japan, a longtime US ally that enjoyed good relations with Trump during his first administration, is keen to get off to a good start in his second.

Ishiba is looking into visiting the United States as early as in the first half of February for his first summit with Trump, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Sunday.

Ishiba unsuccessfully sought a meeting in November, shortly after Trump beat Joe Biden in a presidential comeback, sources told Reuters at the time.

Iwaya said he aimed to meet with other senior officials from the incoming administration to lay the groundwork for an Ishiba visit.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will attend the inauguration at the invitation of the Trump team and meet with members of his incoming administration, his ministry said in a statement.

Penny Wong, foreign minister of fellow US Pacific ally Australia, said on Sunday she would attend Trump's inauguration, calling it "an important opportunity to discuss how we can advance the benefits of our strong economic and security partnership and expand our cooperation".

She has said Australia's centre-left Labor government was confident of its alliance with the United States, its biggest security partner, under the incoming Republican administration.