According to a New York Times report on Tuesday, Iran is attempting to flood the West Bank with weapons, with the aim of drawing the region into conflict with Israel and its proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

The report comes on the heels of the Shin Bet revealing last month that it had thwarted several attempts by Tehran to smuggle large shipments of advanced weapons to terrorist operatives in the West Bank.

The report claims that Iran operates an extensive smuggling network across the region, utilizing routes through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and even Israel. Weapons are transported from country to country via terror operatives, soldiers, or criminal gangs before being transferred to the West Bank with the help of Bedouin smugglers.

Citing officials from Iran, the US, and Israel, the New York Times reports that the majority of the smuggled weapons are handguns and assault rifles, but also include more advanced weaponry such as anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.

The smuggling operation is believed to have been ongoing for approximately two years, although the exact number of weapons transferred during this time is unknown.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)