Seven Palestinians residing in Israel illegally were arrested Sunday evening on Tel Aviv’s promenade on suspicion of planning an attack. A Shin Bet warning earlier in the day led to the deployment of Task Force Tequila, which in a joint operation with the police and after hours of searching, apprehended the seven.
The suspects were transferred to Shin Bet and police custody for interrogation. According to assessments, they are residents of Nablus who entered Israel illegally, and their identification was made through technological means. The suspects were not armed.
Task Force Tequila is an elite undercover unit of Israel’s Shin Bet, designed to stop terrorists already en route to attacks. Founded during the Second Intifada under then-head Avi Dichter, it operates closely with YAMAM, Israel’s elite counterterrorism police unit. Constantly deployed in Palestinian areas and receiving real-time intelligence, Tequila can rapidly locate and neutralize threats. Its name reflects the unit’s focus on quick, precise, high-impact action.
Police said in a statement: “A short time ago, during a joint operation of the Israel Police and the Shin Bet, two suspects who are illegal residents were arrested in Tel Aviv. They are being transferred for further questioning.”