Israel Police put snipers on Rahat rooftops: 'Gunfire will be met with gunfire'

Israel Police confirmed Friday that they have put snipers and sharpshooters on rooftops in Rahat, the largest Bedouin city in the Negev, as part of an operation against armed men behind a run of shootings, Israel National News reports.

The deployment was ordered by Southern District Commander Deputy Commissioner Haim Bublil after a situation assessment. Police confirmed it after photos of armed figures on Rahat rooftops spread on social media and residents asked who they were. Police said they were security personnel taking part in the operation.

Officers were told to identify armed suspects carrying out shootings and act to neutralize them. Police said the policy sends a clear message to the shooters: "Gunfire will be met with gunfire." The new orders went out to all officers in the Southern District as part of a wider push against serious crime and violent feuds in Bedouin communities.

According to police sources, more than 600 weapons have been seized in the south since the start of the year, along with tens of thousands of rounds of stolen military ammunition.

Police said large numbers of officers are now working in Bedouin towns to stop feuds from flaring, find the main suspects and bring them to trial, and to keep shooting incidents trending down.