عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Israel Seizes 300 Pieces of Weapons at Israeli-Arab Border

Handguns and ammunition seized by the Israeli military on the border with Jordan, Aug. 27, 2022. Credit: Israeli army.
Handguns and ammunition seized by the Israeli military on the border with Jordan, Aug. 27, 2022. Credit: Israeli army.
TT
TT

Israel Seizes 300 Pieces of Weapons at Israeli-Arab Border

Handguns and ammunition seized by the Israeli military on the border with Jordan, Aug. 27, 2022. Credit: Israeli army.
Handguns and ammunition seized by the Israeli military on the border with Jordan, Aug. 27, 2022. Credit: Israeli army.

The Israeli military announced on Sunday that nearly 300 pieces of weapons and 2 tons of drugs have been confiscated at the Israeli-Arab border.

An Israeli army spokesperson said that different armed organizations are working closely with arms and drug dealers in the smuggling operations.

This cooperation led in 2022 to an increase in the number of attempts to smuggle drugs and weapons into Israeli territory, but it also led to more monitoring and an increase in the number of thwarted smuggling operations along the borders, according to the spokesperson.

In 2020 and 2021 combined, there were a total of 21 thwarted smuggling attempts, resulting in approximately the same number of weapons being seized, according to the Israeli army.

In 2022, the Israeli military thwarted 35 smuggling operations, including 18 attempts to smuggle weapons across the Jordanian border, with approximately 300 weapons being seized.

Earlier this year, the military and police stepped up efforts to halt smuggling attempts along the Jordanian and Egyptian borders.

On Sunday, the Israeli army said it had beefed up defenses on its borders, as well as increased its surveillance efforts, and improved its means of transportation, in order to better foil smuggling attempts.

Moreover, the army, police and Shin Bet security agency have established joint operation rooms enabling them to produce accurate intelligence in real-time and formulate a united and joint operative response to the challenges and smuggling attempts.

Brigadier General Meir Biderman, head of the Jordan Valley Brigade, said the brigade’s forces, including the fighters of the Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion, the Lioness of the Valley battalion, and the Nitzan-636 battalion are operating day and night to protect the eastern borders of Israel.

He said the brigade’s work relies on a deep partnership among security services including the police, the border guards, and the public security agency, which increases the effectiveness of the work.

For his part, Colonel Ido Saad, head of the Faran Brigade along the Egyptian border said that his brigade has been working constantly to prevent criminal activity on the western border of the state of Israel.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
TT
TT

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.