Police Seize Weapons Cache in Southern Israel, Arrest 19 Suspects

Israeli police conducted a series of raids across southern Israel in recent days, resulting in the seizure of a significant cache of illegal weapons and the arrest of 19 suspects. The operation targeted individuals suspected of involvement in shooting incidents, violence, stone-throwing, and illegal possession of firearms.

During the sweeps, authorities discovered two M-16 assault rifles, handguns, dozens of magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. One M-16 rifle was found concealed within a residential compound in Ar'ara, while other locations yielded ammunition boxes and a belt for a MAG machine gun.

Specific operations included a targeted search near Route 80 following a report of gunfire, where officers from the Arad station found an M-16. In the Ar'ara area, police, alongside other forces, addressed violent disputes and shooting incidents, leading to the arrest of 16 suspects. Another M-16 was found hidden in a residential complex in Ar'ara.

Further searches uncovered Glock and FN handguns, magazines, and ammunition, including 14 boxes of 5.56mm ammunition, 12 M-16 magazines, and a 7.62mm MAG machine gun belt. Three additional suspects were arrested in this phase.

Commander Shai Shlomo of the Rotem region stated that forces will continue to combat crime, shooting incidents, and illegal weapons possession to prevent violence and enhance resident security.