Israel confirmed on Wednesday carrying out an airstrike in Lebanon that killed a Fatah terrorist who had been assisting Iran with smuggling weapons to PA Arab terror groups. The assassination cast a spotlight on the smuggling of Iranian weapons into Judea and Samaria through Jordan, which one analyst said has been increasing to dangerous levels.
The airstrike in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Sidon killed Khalil Hussein Khalil Al-Maqdah. The Israel Defense Forces said Maqdah and his brother, Mounir, had been directing terror activity in Judea and Samaria from Lebanon, on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
“The two collaborate on behalf of the IRGC and are involved in the direction of terror attacks as well as the smuggling of weapons and funds designated for terrorist activities into Judea and Samaria,” the IDF said.
In March 2024, it was revealed that weapons had been smuggled into Judea and Samaria and distributed to terror cells recruited and directed by Khalil and Mounir’s terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon.
According to the IDF, the weapons smuggling and terror attacks were directed by IRGC officers Jawad Jaafari and Ashgar Bakari. Both head special operations units in the IRGC.
Analyst Beni Sabti told The Press Service of Israel that Iranian weapons smuggling through Jordan has been going on for years but increased sharply after October 7. Sabti is a researcher on Iran for the Institute for National Security Studies, which is affiliated with Tel Aviv University.
“It’s reached dangerous levels. The Iranians have hubris. They see October 7 as a victory and they will continue smuggling weapons,” Sabti told TPS-IL.
“Iran has a network of supporters in Iraq, Syria and Jordan. The Jordanians are afraid, but they can’t crack down because their borders are too open,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Israeli security establishment is investigating the possibility that a Sunday night bombing in Tel Aviv was masterminded by Iran, and not by Hamas, which claimed the attack was carried out jointly with Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Security cameras filmed a man wearing a blue backpack in southern Tel Aviv when it exploded not far from a synagogue. The blast killed the suspect, identified only as a man in his 50s. A 43-year-old passerby suffered moderate shrapnel injuries. According to Hebrew media reports, the bomber, whose name has not been released, had no known affiliations with either terror group. According to Israel’s Channel 12 news and the Kan public broadcaster, the bomb’s sophistication points to Iran and Hezbollah.
