IDF Increase Presence on Roads in Yehudah and Shomron

A spate of recent security incidents on roads in Yehudah and Shomron has led the IDF to increase is presence on the the roads, the IDF said. Patrols will be increased “significantly,” after three recent terror shooting attacks.

Drivers have in recent days already noticed the presence of larger numbers of soldiers on key thoroughfares in Yehudah and Shomron, media reports said. Two shooting attacks in the Binyamin area and one in the Chevron area occurred in recent days, and on some days dozens of rock-throwing incidents take place. The IDF considers these enough of a reason to increase patrols.

Besides soldiers, police and Border Guard patrols were being increased as well. An IDF spokesperson was quoted by Israel Radio as saying that activities had also been increased inside Arab villages. “We are acting to improve the security infrastructure in a manner that will be felt and seen immediately. We will do everything in our ability to protect residents and travelers in the area. Our forces are working day and night to ensure security for all.”

That activity included increasing actions against Arab accessories who made the attacks possible.

Overnight Sunday the IDF said it had raided and shut down a large arms factory in Chevron – the largest found to date, the army said. In the factory, which was located under a house in Chevron, were 15 large metal cutting machines, along with dozens of weapons in various stages of manufacture. According to the army, the vast majority of shooting attacks that took place over the past year were carried out with weapons manufactured in workshops such as the one uncovered in Chevron – and many of them were probably made in that factory. Among the weapons seized in whole or in parts were shotguns, rifles, handguns, and parts for M-16 machine guns.