Six Jenin residents indicted for building and testing rocket arsenal

Israeli prosecutors filed charges against six men on Tuesday morning, alleging they built a rocket production network in the Jenin area. The indictment accuses the group of creating infrastructure to manufacture explosive devices and rockets aimed at Israel and its security forces.

The legal action follows an investigation by the Judea and Samaria District Central Unit of the Israel Police and the Shin Bet. Agents seized various weapons from the suspects during the probe. All six defendants are residents of the Jenin region and are in their 30s. Authorities arrested them over the past several months as part of a counterterrorism investigation.

One suspect told investigators that he helped establish the network and defined its goals. During questioning, he stated that the cell’s three rocket launch tests yielded positive results regarding power and range. He explained that the group did not stop after the initial attempts. Instead, members analyzed the data from each launch and made technical improvements before running the next trial.

A second suspect admitted to facilitating the group's logistics. He told investigators that he helped the cell obtain explosives and sold weapons to its members. Prosecutors believe these items are among the materials seized during the arrests.

Investigators found that the primary suspect maintained contact with an individual located outside of Israel. This external contact provided information via a messaging application about the materials required to manufacture explosives. The suspect used this guidance to direct the group's production efforts.

Security forces recovered several items during the operation, including an M16 rifle and a component for a rocket-propelled grenade. They also collected documents and instructional materials that provided step-by-step guidance on how to build rockets and explosive devices.