Security Forces Foil Major Northern Israel Terror Attack

Security officials on Thursday said they had foiled what was set to be a major terror attack that was to be carried out in northern Israel. A lengthy investigation uncovered the activities of a gang of northern Israeli Arabs who smuggled contraband and weapons from Lebanon into Israel. Among the detainees are seven members of the same family, residents of the village of A’jar.

According to officials, the seven, along with terror groups, were planning a major attack on a northern Israeli city. The seven are in custody, charged with spying, aiding the enemy during wartime, illegally making and importing weapons, making contact with foreign enemy agents and a variety of drug offenses.

The investigation began in July, after a farmer found a bag containing two explosives at the side of a highway near the Lebanese border. Investigators determined that the explosives had been brought into Israel from Lebanon, with the trail eventually leading to the suspects. The suspects admitted under questioning that they had been working with Hezbollah agents, who were guiding them on carrying out a major terror attack.

Also Thursday, a Kassam rocket fell in the Gaza border area. The rocket fell in an open area, with no injuries or damage reported. The rocket was the second to fall within 24 hours; a rocket that fell in Sderot on Wednesday caused significant damage to homes and vehicles in one of the town’s neighborhoods.