Four Israeli citizens from Masoudin al-Azazmeh in the Negev were arrested as part of the joint investigation.
By The IDF Club
Israel’s security establishment announced Thursday that a joint Shin Bet, Israel Police, and IDF operation has dismantled a drone-based weapons-smuggling network operating in the Negev, dealing a significant blow to illicit arms trafficking along Israel’s southern frontier.
The network, which used unmanned aerial vehicles to smuggle weapons from the Sinai Peninsula into Israel, was exposed following a coordinated intelligence and operational effort. Four Israeli citizens from Masoudin al-Azazmeh in the Negev were arrested approximately one month ago and questioned as part of the joint investigation.
According to security officials, the suspects were involved in multiple large-scale smuggling attempts. In one incident, IDF forces successfully intercepted a drone carrying four MAG machine guns, preventing the weapons from reaching their intended destinations inside Israel.
The investigation further revealed that members of the cell actively monitored IDF radio communications during their operations and were connected to additional smuggling activity along the Sinai border, underscoring the sophistication and planning behind the network.
The exposure of the cell comes amid an intensified IDF campaign against aerial weapons smuggling, which has surged in recent months. Earlier this week, IDF forces thwarted an overnight smuggling attempt along Israel’s western border after the Air Control Array detected a drone crossing into Israeli airspace.
Troops from the Paran Brigade intercepted the drone, which was found carrying 20 M16 rifles, along with additional weapons components, including barrels and stocks. The seized arms were transferred to security forces for further handling.
In recent days, IDF units have also intercepted two additional smuggling drones in the same sector, highlighting what the military has identified as increasingly advanced smuggling techniques. In a separate incident last week, IDF observers detected and intercepted a drone that entered Israeli airspace from Jordan, recovering 40 firearms.
Israeli security forces continue to operate aggressively across multiple sectors, combining intelligence, surveillance, and rapid-response capabilities to detect, intercept, and neutralize weapons-smuggling attempts, as part of a sustained effort to safeguard Israel’s borders and prevent illegal arms from reaching criminal or terror-linked elements.
