Suspect in Golan Double Murder Caught During Another Assassination Attempt in Yirka

Israeli police have arrested the main suspect in the double murder of Marwan Abu Shaheen and Saada Saada in the Golan Heights during a subsequent assassination attempt in the town of Yirka. The incident occurred on June 19, 2026, when police received reports of gunfire targeting a vehicle in Buq'ata, resulting in the deaths of 52-year-old Marwan Abu Shaheen from Buq'ata and 56-year-old Saada Saada from Hurfeish. The investigation, led by the Northern District's Central Unit, revealed that a criminal gang had premeditated the attack, including renting a cabin in Buq'ata and using vehicles purchased in advance from a car lot in Usfiya.

Following covert and then overt investigations, several suspects were arrested and vehicles seized, including the one allegedly used in the shooting, found in Kiryat Shmona. However, the primary suspect remained at large until July 5, when police conducting an operation in Yirka spotted a masked individual firing at a worker in a local business. The suspect was apprehended while armed, and after removing his mask, police identified him as the wanted man linked to the Buq'ata double murder. The victim of this latest shooting was seriously injured. Prosecutors plan to file charges against three suspects connected to the original double murder.

This arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a case involving organized crime in northern Israel, highlighting ongoing police efforts to combat violent criminal activity in the region.