(haipo) – The Haifa Police Department arrested last night (Sunday, February 1, 2026) at the Haifa airport a resident of Hadera in his 40s, who fled abroad after thwarting an assassination attempt about a year and a half ago. According to suspicion, the suspect served as a key partner in the operation and directed the cell from a nearby command vehicle. The Haifa Magistrate's Court recently granted the police request and extended the suspect's detention until February 5, 2026.
The police told Lai Pa:
About a year and a half ago, in September 2024, during an operational activity following criminals, the police of the central unit thwarted an assassination squad in Hadera that had delayed the target of the assassination for a long period of time, using tracking devices that were attached to his vehicle, thus being able to follow his route in order to precisely time the right moment to carry out the execution.
The Marine Corps detectives then managed to thwart the members of the squad in an "operational vehicle" in Hadera, armed with face masks, gloves, and weapons. They then jumped on them, tackled them, and arrested the members of the squad "red-handed."
Another vehicle that commanded the "operation" was waiting near the execution vehicle, in which two suspects were allegedly sitting, including the suspect who was arrested by detectives at the airport last night after fleeing abroad immediately after the arrest of the cell, a resident of Hadera in his 40s.
At the end of the police investigation of the affair, which was closely monitored throughout by the Haifa Prosecutor's Office, an indictment was filed against the four in the Haifa District Court, and they were convicted and sentenced, while the suspect, their partner, fled abroad until his arrest last night, as stated by the Haifa Police Detectives.
The suspect was detained for questioning and imprisoned.
A short time ago, the Haifa Peace Court granted the police's request and extended the suspect's detention until 5.2.26.