IDF Arrests Two Terrorists in West Bank Raids, Citing Imminent Attack Plot
Israeli troops carried out a wave of counterterrorism operations across the West Bank during Yom Kippur, the military said, arresting wanted suspects and seizing weapons and materials linked to explosives production.
In Kabatiya, troops from the Duvdevan Unit arrested two terrorists who were planning to carry out an attack in the near future, according to the IDF. The raid followed another Duvdevan operation in the same village about a month earlier, during which troops arrested a five-member terrorist cell. The IDF and Shin Bet said the cell had been planning an attack against civilians and security personnel. The five suspects were arrested less than 10 minutes after troops entered the area, and searches of their homes uncovered an M16 rifle and additional weapons, authorities said.
In Biddu, in the Binyamin Brigade sector, IDF troops mapped the home of a terrorist. During a separate brigade operation in the village, troops searched about 100 locations, questioned 90 suspects and found a hunting rifle.
In another Duvdevan Unit operation in Beit Ur al-Tahta, troops discovered a weapons-manufacturing lathe, two Carlo-type firearms and additional weapons.
The Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit also operated in the Menashe Brigade sector, where troops questioned suspects, arrested wanted individuals and found materials intended for the production of explosives.
Troops from the Ephraim Brigade also operated in villages throughout their sector, questioning more than 80 suspects.
The scope of the raids, spanning multiple brigades and villages, underscores the continued intensity of Israeli security operations in the West Bank. For the IDF, the seizures are likely to be highlighted as evidence that its forces are disrupting militant logistics and attack planning. At the same time, large-scale arrests and home-mapping operations can deepen tensions in Palestinian communities, particularly when they coincide with a major religious holiday.
[ILLUSTRATIVE] Outgoing deputy commander of Menashe Regional Brigade Lt.-Col. Alon Hanuni. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)