Israel has busted Hamas’ terrorist infrastructure in the Judean city of Bethlehem, capturing more than 50 terrorists in a series of raids. “Israeli security forces have successfully dismantled a significant Hamas terrorist network operating in the Bethlehem area of the West Bank, authorities announced, preventing imminent attacks on both civilians and security personnel,” Israel’s i24NEWS TV channel reported Thursday.
By dismantling the terror network, the security services have thwarted a ticking time bomb, Israeli media reports say. Hamas operatives had amassed weapons to carry out terror attacks against the Israeli soldiers and civilians. “One of the terrorist cells was in an advanced stage of operational readiness, prepared to carry out attacks within the immediate timeframe,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. “The thwarting of this infrastructure prevented significant terror attacks, which could have taken a heavy toll on the lives of many Israeli civilians and soldiers.”
“According to the Shin Bet interrogations and probe into the plot, there were masterminds who systematically recruited and built multiple terror cells in order to carry out a series of shooting attacks against Israeli civilians and the IDF,” the Jerusalem Post added.
The raids come as a big blow to Hamas’s terrorist operations outside Gaza. The newspaper observed that “[g]iven the size of the multiple cells, the bust may be a strategic setback to Hamas and other terror groups … at a time when they are weaker in Gaza.”
Israel’s Ynetnews reported the details of the counter-terrorism operation:
The Shin Bet, in coordination with the IDF and police, announced Thursday that they had successfully dismantled a major Hamas terrorist infrastructure operating in the Bethlehem area, thwarting plans for imminent shooting attacks against Israeli civilians and security forces.The months-long investigation led to the arrest of approximately 40 Hamas operatives during more than 15 operations, carried out by IDF reservists from the Etzion Brigade, the elite Duvdevan unit and counterterror forces. During the raids, weapons including M16 rifles were seized.According to Shin Bet, senior Hamas operatives had recruited and organized terror cells, procured weapons, and actively planned to launch attacks. One of the cells was reportedly in an advanced state of readiness to carry out shootings in the immediate future.
Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ and King David, has been turned into a terrorist stronghold under the rule of the PLO-led Palestinian Authority. In April 2002, during the Second Intifada terror campaign, Palestinian terrorists, “armed to the teeth with explosives,” occupied the Church of the Nativity and took 200 civilians, including a large number of Christian monks, hostage. The 38-day siege of one of Christianity’s holiest sites ended with Israel granting safe passage to dozens of terrorists, most of them belonging to the PLO-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.
With Iran-backed Hezbollah trying to rebuild its terrorist infrastructure along the border, IDF fighter jets again hit terror targets in South Lebanon, Israeli media reported on Thursday.
In the past two weeks, the IDF has intensified drone and airstrikes against Hezbollah. This was the latest wave of airstrikes to deter the Shia-Islamic terrorist group from reestablishing itself after the 8-week-long Israeli ground operation nearly one year ago.
The Times of Israel reports:
The IDF says it carried out airstrikes against a Hezbollah weapons depot and an adjacent underground site belonging to the terror group in southern Lebanon earlier this morning.The infrastructure was located next to a public sports and leisure center, “serving as yet another example of Hezbollah’s cynical use of Lebanese civilians as human shields for its operations conducted from within civilian areas,” the military says.Another Hezbollah site in southern Lebanon was also targeted in an airstrike this morning, the IDF adds.The military says Hezbollah is continuing its efforts to restore its infrastructure in Lebanon, and the presence of such sites and the terror group’s activity in the area “constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
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