Israeli Police Arrest Two Leaders of Hariri Crime Organization for Weapons Violations

On April 13, 2026, Israeli police arrested two senior figures of the Hariri crime organization during a targeted operation by the National Unit for the Investigation of Serious and International Crime (Lahav 433). The arrests were part of an ongoing crackdown on the criminal group, with the suspects detained on suspicion of possessing weapons and violating administrative restraining orders under the Public Protection Against Crime Organizations Law. These orders included house arrest, travel bans, and prohibitions on contact with other gang members. The operation was led by Lahav 433’s intelligence division, in cooperation with the Enforcement Coordination Unit and the Northern National Guard.

The arrests follow a recent indictment against three members of a Hariri assassination cell accused of killing 21-year-old Basel Fraoni in Nazareth last November. The murder occurred on November 22, 2025, inside a car wash business in the Bilal neighborhood, where masked gunmen opened fire, fatally wounding Fraoni and injuring another man. Investigations revealed that Fraoni was mistakenly targeted due to a case of mistaken identity; the intended victim was the business owner, who was absent at the time, involved in a conflict with the Bakri crime organization. Fraoni was misidentified because he was holding a washing hose, leading the assailants to believe he was the owner.

Police recovered one of the weapons used in the shooting, along with gloves, a ski mask, and a duplicated license plate attached to the getaway vehicle. Investigators reconstructed the route taken by the hit squad, which originated from the Umm al-Fahm area. The two Hariri leaders remain in custody with their detention extended by the court until the following Tuesday as the investigation continues.