Multiple Suspects Captured
Armed Robbers Disguised as IDF Special Forces Raid Gold Shop in Dahariya, Hebron | WATCH
Armed terrorists disguised as IDF special forces raid Hebron gold shop in military-style heist. Multiple suspects captured after gunfire exchange. Security alarm raised.
In a brazen daylight operation that has raised alarms across Israel's security establishment, a group of Palestinian terrorists disguised as IDF special forces soldiers robbed a gold shop in the town of Dahariya on Tuesday morning. The incident, initially mistaken for a military raid, prompted a swift IDF pursuit, gunfire exchanges, and the capture of several suspects.
According to initial reports from i24NEWS correspondent Yinon Shalom Yitach, the robbers, clad in authentic-looking IDF uniforms, helmets, and armed with long firearms, executed a "military-style operation" at the shop. They provided coordinated cover during the heist before fleeing in a Savanna vehicle.
Security officials quickly confirmed that this was not an authorized IDF action, classifying the perpetrators as terrorists due to the sophisticated disguise and potential for escalation.
IDF forces immediately launched a hot pursuit, with gunfire directed at the fleeing suspects. Two terrorists were apprehended in the initial chase, as reported by Channel 14's Hillel Biton Rosen. The pursuit continued for additional accomplices, leading to the interception of the getaway vehicle by Border Police (Magav) units. Items seized included five helmets, long firearms, and IDF uniforms—equipment that closely mirrored gear used by elite Israeli special forces in high-risk missions.
In a cross-authority development, an additional suspect was detained by Palestinian Authority security forces, bringing the total captures to at least three. The detainees are currently in custody with the elite IDF fighters who apprehended them, pending further interrogation.
The robbery has sparked widespread concern over its implications for regional security. Biton Rosen described the event as a "bright red warning light" for Israel's defense apparatus, highlighting a "deep conceptual failure" in preventing such infiltrations. He warned that the terrorists' access to specialized vehicles, uniforms, and military-grade equipment could foreshadow more lethal attacks: "If we do not wake up, the day is not far off when such terrorists will carry out an attack inside a Jewish community, with the goal of murder rather than robbery."
Local residents and analysts echoed these fears, noting the ease with which the disguised group operated in broad daylight. "Let’s just hope that next time they don’t try to enter a Jewish community with the vehicle, the weapons, and the car," Yitach added in his first report.
The IDF has not released further details on the ongoing investigation or the value of the stolen gold, but sources indicate heightened patrols in the Hebron area.