The ISA (Shin Bet) is rounding out a year of a multi-front war during which it foiled 1,040 significant terror attacks in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem, interrogated over 650 detainees from the Gaza Strip, and exposed 20 Arab-Israeli terror cells and 13 cases of Israelis spying for Iran.
This year, due to the war, the ISA significantly changed how it collects intelligence and foils terror plots, transforming from work away from the field to work on the ground in the Gaza Strip. The ISA has been working with the IDF physically in the field, managing, enlisting, and handling agents during the war, and making adjustments to its methods of operation in the heart of the Gaza Strip, which has not happened since the disengagement in 2005.
The Gaza Strip:
Operations by ISA coordinators and field agents in Gaza led to over 1,350 arrests, of which, 40 were senior terrorists and commanders, some 165 were close to senior terrorists, 45 were involved in the invasion of Israel, and about 100 were suspected of having information on the hostages.
Approximately 2,500 detainees from the Gaza Strip were dealt with, of which, over 650 who the ISA interrogated gave information that saved lives during the ground maneuvers or led to strikes on hundreds of terror targets.
Lebanon:
Over the past year, 25 senior terrorists from various groups in Lebanon including Hamas, al-Jama'ah al-Islamiyah, and the PFLP were eliminated.
In Israel:
Over the past year, the ISA has foiled 1,040 significant terror attacks on Israeli soil, including 689 shooting attacks, 326 bomb attacks, 13 stabbing attacks, nine ramming attacks, two suicide bombings, and one kidnapping. In contrast to the rise in foiled attacks, there has been a 40% drop in attacks in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem.
Over the past year, the ISA, IDF, and Yamam carried out dozens of special operations in Judea and Samaria. Of those operations, ten were to arrest or eliminate terrorists in the field, some of which were sensitive ISA operations in the Jenin Hospital, in Shechem (Nablus), and the heart of the Tulkarm "Refugee" Camp.
The ISA carried out hundreds of preventative operations and exposed 20 Arab-Israeli terror cells that planned to carry out attacks, five of which planned bombing attacks.
Special operations:
Over the past year, the special operations unit made of ISA and Yamam agents (referred to as the Tequila Team) was called to foil 32 imminent terror attacks.
Since the war began the ISA, together with the Yamam and IDF, planned three operations to rescue living hostages. Likewise, missions were carried out to recover the bodies of hostages for burial in Israel.
The Iranian threat
This year was characterized by a trend of increased activity by Iran on multiple fronts: attempts to smuggle game-changing weapons into Judea and Samaria as well as attempts to enlist Israelis to carry out missions and cyber attacks on Israeli sites.
This year saw a record number of Israelis arrested for Iranian espionage, with a 400% increase in arrests from 2023. During the year 13 cases of severe espionage by Israelis for Iran were uncovered and foiled and 27 Israelis were indicted on severe charges.
Security amid the war:
The IDF carried out hundreds of security operations in many dangerous locations including protecting state officials in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. In addition, hundreds of security operations were carried out overseas including two special operations: the Olympic delegation in Paris, France, and the Israeli Eurovision delegation to Malmo, Sweden.
War on the technological front:
Since the war began, the number of cyber attacks multiplied by five when compared to past years. Over the past year, in a joint effort by the ISA, IDF, and the National Cyber Directorate, 700 out of thousands of enemy cyber attack attempts were foiled.
