Israeli security forces brace for violence ahead of Biden’s visit to the region

Israeli police forces are bracing for a possible terror wave ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit next week, according to Ynet.

Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai held a security briefing on Sunday, instructing senior officers to “map out sensitive locations” in each flashpoint district in the coming days and to deploy forces accordingly.

Police commanders have instructed forces on the ground to be vigilant and ready to respond to threats immediately. They also ordered reinforcements for large gatherings planned for the summer months.

A senior police officer told the Israeli news outlet that “the security establishment is aware of dozens of terror threats across the country.”

“Ever since the last wave of terror, we have thwarted – along with the Counter Terror Unit, [Israel Defense Forces] and Shin Bet – dozens of terror operations that were about to get underway, inspired by [the] latest acts of shootings and stabbings,” he stated.

According to the officer, in recent weeks, Israel’s National Counter-Terror Unit (INCTU), or Yamam, arrested several terrorists “ticking bombs” defined as terrorists located deep within Israeli territory preparing for an attack.

“Some of them were in big cities, just moments before committing an act of terrorism,” he said.

The officer further noted that police are investing large efforts in intelligence-gathering in order to foil terror acts before complicit individuals have a chance to enter Israel. Special measures are taken both against terror cells and individual operators.