Tel Aviv [Israel], January 1 (ANI/TPS): Israeli security agencies announced on Thursday the discovery of a weapons smuggling network in the Negev desert that used drones to transport arms across Israel’s southern border from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
In a joint statement, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and Israel Police said four Israeli citizens from the Bedouin community of Masoud al-Azazma in southern Israel were arrested about a month ago and now face charges.
Investigators reported that the suspects attempted multiple drone-based smuggling operations. In one instance, IDF forces intercepted a drone carrying four machine guns, which were seized at the scene.
“The investigation revealed significant weapons smuggling activity using drones along the southern border,” a security official said. Another official noted that the suspects had also “monitored IDF communications as part of their smuggling operations,” potentially compromising military activity in the area.
Prosecutors filed an indictment in the Beers-Sheva District Court on Thursday. “Smuggling weapons across Israel’s borders serves as a supply pipeline for terrorist organizations and can cause serious harm to national security,” the joint statement said.
Authorities noted that during a three-month period in 2025, nearly 900 drone smuggling attempts from Egypt were recorded—almost double the 464 attempts reported in the same period in 2024. In response, Defence Minister Israel Katz modified army rules of engagement, and the National Security Council is pushing to classify the smuggling operations as a terror threat, providing security forces broader authority to counter the activity. (ANI/TPS)
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