The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday found a “homemade” rocket launcher in Nazlet Zeid, near Jenin in northern Samaria.
Video of the rocket launcher circulating on social media shows a note next to the weapon in Arabic that reads: “Al-Ayyash Brigade, launch of a Qassam 1 rocket on the Shaked settlement, Wednesday, May 24. The next rocket will be bigger.”
The Al-Ayyash Brigade is affiliated with the Gaza-based Hamas terrorist organization.
Shaked is a Jewish community of around 1,100 people located close to Nazlet Zeid.
Unverified video appeared to show a failed launch of the rocket, which exploded mid-air close to the launch site.
“In the last few hours, a video was published on the Arab networks in which a small ‘missile’ is allegedly shown aimed at Shaked with an Arabic inscription on it. The site has been identified and the incident is currently being investigated by the IDF,” Shaked security coordinator Yahav Atzmon said in a message to residents.
The launcher was transferred to the security services for examination.
On May 9, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chief Ronen Bar revealed that Israel had recently broken up a terrorist cell near Jenin that was in the process of producing rockets intended to be fired at Israeli targets from Samaria.
A video broadcast by Palestinian media showed another firing of a Qassam-type rocket in the Jenin area, apparently an experiment by the same squad. Security sources in Israel say that Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives in Jenin and Nablus are also trying to weaponize civilian drones.
“We have no intention of turning Afula into a target for terrorist attacks,” said Bar, referring to an Israeli city in the Jezreel Valley within rocket range attack from northern Samaria.
In January, a family home in Shaked was struck by gunfire.
