Netanyahu Cuts Trip to Germany Short Amid Security Threat

Security officials reportedly convened several times in the past 36 hours, presenting defense minister with preliminary findings from the incidents.

By JNS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cut his trip to Germany short due to a concerning security situation.

He was scheduled to leave at 5 p.m. Thursday but delayed his departure by five hours. The main issue on the agenda during his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz – his first since being elected prime minister in November – is the Iranian threat

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has held several situational assessments over the past 36 hours with regard to unspecified “security incidents.”

Gallant’s office released an unusually cryptic statement on Tuesday evening, revealing that the meetings were attended by top-ranking officials, including Israel Defense Forces chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) head Ronen Bar.

According to the statement, the officials presented Gallant with preliminary findings related to the incidents, and that the defense minister had instructed them to “continue efforts to ensure the daily routine of Israeli citizens.”

The development comes after Israeli authorities launched an investigation into an explosion in northern Israel on Monday that seriously wounded a man driving along the Route 65 highway at the Megiddo Junction. Shareef ad-Din, from the Arab town of Salem, was wounded when an explosive device detonated at around 6 a.m. in an apparent roadside bombing.

The Shin Bet’s involvement in the probe suggests that the defense establishment believes the bombing may have been an act of terrorism. However, it remains unclear whether the bombing is one of the incidents that prompted the situational assessments.

United with Israel contributed to this report.