French journalist arrested for smuggling 3 grenades into Israel

Israeli authorities arrested a French journalist on Wednesday after he was caught trying to enter Israel with three grenades in his vehicle.

The suspect was arrested at the Gilboa crossing as he attempted to cross into Israel at a northern Israeli border, arriving from the northern West Bank city of Jenin, the site of Israel’s recent counter-terrorism initiative, Operation Home and Garden.

The journalist was reportedly carrying an official press card and was taken for questioning by the Israeli authorities. He was later released without charges.

Israeli authorities reportedly seized a tear gas grenade and two other similar grenades from his car.

A thousand Israel Defense Forces ground troops were dispatched to the Jenin refugee camp for the military operation, which lasted 44 hours. The purpose of the operation was specifically to root out terror groups from the area.

During the operation, 150 suspected terrorists were arrested, at least 12 terrorists were killed, and thousands of weapons were confiscated. One IDF soldier, identified as Sergeant Maj. David Yehuda Yitzhak from Bet El, was seriously injured during the fighting and died while being transported to the hospital for treatment.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Wednesday that the “objectives of the operation have been achieved.”

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Israel Defense Forces for eliminating “many terrorist infrastructures" and said there would be similar IDF operations in the future.

“In these moments we are completing the mission, and I can say that our broad action in Jenin is not a one-time thing,” the prime minister said.

“We will continue as much as necessary to cut off terrorism. We will not allow Jenin to become a haven for terrorism,” Netanyahu added.