The Haifa District State Attorney’s Office announced on Friday that it has indicted three men in connection with the theft of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) MATADOR shoulder-fired missile. Two suspects, Arab Israeli residents of Shfaram aged 22 and 24, were arrested on September 5 during a joint operation involving the Northern District police, an IDF counterterrorism unit, and the military’s Northern Command.

A third man, also 22 years old, was apprehended after investigators determined he was a Palestinian from the West Bank who had entered Israel illegally. The men were filmed holding the stolen missile, prompting a police investigation that led to their detention.

The Israel Police and Border Police have confiscated over 700 weapons so far this year amid ongoing efforts to combat arms smuggling and violent crime. Officials noted the theft of the IDF missile to be a particularly unusual and serious incident.

Separately, Israeli security forces conducted a targeted raid on Thursday in the West Bank village of Jaba near Nablus, arresting four Palestinians on suspicion of illegal weapons possession. The detainees include two men in their 20s, a woman in her 50s from Jaba, and a man in his 40s from a different nearby village.

During the search of the suspects’ home in Jaba, authorities seized ten M16 ammunition magazines along with hundreds of rounds of various types of ammunition. The investigation is ongoing.

In the case of the fourth suspect, police reported observing a bag being thrown from a window upon their arrival at his residence. The bag contained a pistol, magazines, ammunition, a face mask, and other combat-related gear. After his arrest, the individual was taken to Ariel for questioning, with his detention extended by court order until October 6.

These operations highlight continued Israeli efforts to counter illegal arms trafficking and reduce the risk of weapon-related violence in the region.