Latest Developments
• Iranian Weapons Seized by Israeli Forces: The IDF and the Shin Bet intelligence agency announced on November 27 that they had seized weapons from Iran destined for terrorists in Jenin and other parts of the West Bank. During the investigation, Israeli forces uncovered a second location where smugglers had buried most of the arms.
• An IRGC-Led Scheme: The IDF said that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) member Jawad Ghafari, who heads the 4000th Division — the Special Operations Division of the IRGC Intelligence Organization — commanded the operation. Also identified in the plot was a special operations unit of the IRGC Quds Force in Syria known as Unit 18840.
• A Sophisticated Iranian Arsenal: The weapons seized by the IDF and Shin Bet included 33 improvised claymore explosives, wireless activation systems for claymore explosives, six RPG-7 launchers, three 107 mm rockets, RPGs, and other small arms. On March 25, the IDF and Shin Bet disrupted a similar IRGC plot to smuggle arms and explosives into the West Bank.
FDD Expert Response
“Israel’s thwarting of an Iranian attempt to smuggle weapons into the West Bank is an important achievement. It reveals how Iran is seeking to move more advanced and deadly weapons, including RPGs and rockets, to terrorist groups. Iran has used this model in Gaza and Lebanon. It is now trying to inflame the West Bank. This latest incident builds on previous Iranian attempts to smuggle small arms to Palestinian terror groups in places such as Jenin.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow
“Since the surge in terrorism that began in June 2021, Iran-backed terrorist groups in the West Bank have undergone a significant evolution. The number of armed groups has increased, and thanks to Iran and organized crime, they have become better equipped to carry out attacks against Israeli targets. The current Israeli strategy to counter this growing threat has proven to be partially effective and requires urgent reassessment. If left unaddressed, the West Bank risks becoming Iran’s next major front against Israel.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal
Source » fdd