GALILEE — Israel Police arrested two people in Shfaram on suspicion of stealing a shoulder-fired MATADOR missile from the IDF. The weapon was recovered during a targeted operational activity conducted by the Northern District police, the IDF's anti-terrorist unit, and officers of the military's northern command.

In a separate incident on the same day, police located ten flash grenades during a traffic accident between a car and a scooter with no license plates in the Western Galilee. An Israel Police bomb squad removed the ten flash grenades and transported them for further evidence collection. The scooter involved in the accident was towed by police.

Why It Matters

The theft of high-grade military weapons from IDF bases represents a security concern. The MATADOR missile is an anti-armour system, and its presence outside military control poses risks to public safety and national security. The joint operation involving multiple police and military units demonstrates the coordinated response to such threats.

The arrest of an illegal resident in connection with the theft relates to broader issues regarding unauthorized presence and criminal activity. The recovery of additional explosives in a separate traffic incident on the same day indicates ongoing challenges with illegal weapons circulation in the area.

Timeline

The investigation into the stolen M16 rifle began on June 20 after Military Police received a report that the weapon had been stolen from a base in northern Israel. Investigators arrested a 30-year-old reservist noncommissioned officer from Tiberias on suspicion that he had stolen the M16 rifle from a soldier serving in his unit. In early August, a reservist and a civilian were indicted over the theft and alleged trafficking of an M16 rifle taken from an IDF base in northern Israel.

The MATADOR missile was seized during a targeted operational activity conducted by the Northern District police, the IDF's anti-terrorist unit, and officers of the military's northern command. Two people were arrested in Shfaram on suspicion of stealing a shoulder-fired MATADOR missile from the IDF. An Israel Police bomb squad removed the ten flash grenades and transported them for further evidence collection. Police transferred both suspects to the Galilee Region police station for questioning. Police located ten flash grenades during a traffic accident between a car and a scooter with no license plates in the Western Galilee.

What's New

Israel Police announced the arrest of two people in Shfaram on suspicion of stealing a MATADOR missile from the IDF and stated that one of the suspects is an illegal resident. The police transferred both suspects to the Galilee Region police station for questioning and expect to bring them before the court to extend their detention. The MATADOR is a 90-millimetre (3.5 in) man-portable, disposable anti-armour and anti-brickwall weapon system.

Northern District is one of the six districts of Israel. The MATADOR weapon system was developed by Germany, Israel and Singapore. Development of the MATADOR weapon began in 2000. Shfaram is Arab city in Israel.