Two M16 rifles, dozens of magazines, 19 explosive 40mm grenade launcher rounds, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized during operations conducted by the Israel Police and Border Police in the Bedouin towns of Lakiya and Hura. Five suspects were arrested during the operations and transferred for questioning at the Ayarot Police Station.
The operation in Lakiya was launched following shooting incidents that occurred in the town yesterday. Officers from the Ayarot Police Station, fighters from the SAHAR unit, and Southern Border Police personnel carried out a proactive search, during which they discovered two M16 rifles, along with 45 magazines and hundreds of 5.56mm rounds of ammunition.
Two Lakiya residents were arrested during the operation and taken in for questioning. The seized weapons and ammunition were also transferred to the Ayarot Police Station for further investigation.
In a separate operation conducted on Thursday, Southern Border Police officers carried out searches in buildings in the town of Hura. During the searches, they found 19 explosive 40mm grenade launcher rounds, 15 loaded M16 magazines, and hundreds of rounds of various types of ammunition that had been stolen from the IDF.
A total of five suspects were arrested in the two operations. All of the seized weapons and evidence were transferred for further investigation.
The operations were carried out as part of Operation Iron Net, launched under the direction of the Israel Police Commissioner. According to police, the operation focuses on combating shooting incidents, the possession of illegal weapons, and the criminal elements responsible for violence. As part of the operation, security forces are working to locate illegal firearms and prevent the escalation of violent disputes.