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Middle East crisis: Flares fired at Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea, three people arrested

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 17 Nov 2024

Middle East crisis: Flares fired at Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea, three people arrested

Three arrested over flares fired at Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu's residence. Photo Courtesy: X page videograb

At least three people were arrested after a pair of flares were fired at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea on Sunday, media reports said.

The flares reportedly landed in the yard of the residence.

No damage to property or casualty has been reported so far.

Netanyahu and his family members were reportedly not present in the house.

The Israel Police’s Lahav 433 major crimes unit and the Shin Bet are investigating the incident, which they said 'marks a dangerous escalation', the news portal reported.

Security services have described the incident as "serious".

"Two flares landed in the courtyard outside the prime minister's residence," police and the Shin Bet internal security agency said in a joint statement.

"The prime minister and his family were not in the house at the time of the incident. An investigation has been opened. This is a serious incident and a dangerous escalation," it said.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the incident and warned "against an increase in violence in the public sphere.

"I have now spoken with the head of the Shin Bet and expressed the urgent need to investigate and deal with those responsible for the incident as soon as possible," Herzog said in a post on X.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the flares.

The incident comes after a drone attack targeting Netanyahu's residence on October 19, that was latter claimed by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Since September 23, Israel has escalated its bombing of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

They even sent ground troops after almost a year of limited, cross-border exchanges that Hezbollah militants started over the war in Gaza.