Jerusalem, 22 February, 2026 (TPS-IL) — israeli police carried out sweeping overnight arrests in the northern town of Kafr Qana after a violent escalation between rival families left four people wounded when a Grenade apparently dropped by an aerial drone was detonated inside a home, authorities said Sunday.
Police said 34 suspects were detained during raids on dozens of locations across the Lower Galilee town following hours of gunfire and an explosion that residents described as unusually severe. The violence is believed to be part of an ongoing feud between two local families that has persisted despite previous mediation efforts.
According to investigators, the incident began late Saturday evening when a grenade was dropped into a residential building, apparently from a drone flying above the neighborhood. The explosion ripped through the roof of the house and was followed by exchanges of gunfire in nearby streets, prompting a large police response.
Emergency medical teams treated four people suffering from gunshot and shrapnel wounds. A man in his 30s was listed in critical but stable condition, while three others–an 18-year-old woman, a woman in her 40s, and a man in his 80s–were moderately injured. All were evacuated to hospitals in the region for further treatment.
“We reached the scene alongside police forces and found multiple victims with penetrating injuries,” said Magen David Adom paramedic Anas Awada. “We provided immediate care, including stopping severe bleeding, and evacuated the wounded to hospital while they were conscious and stable.”
Police said the detainees are suspected of involvement in recent Shootings and other violent incidents tied to the dispute. Authorities did not disclose whether weapons were seized during the raids and said the identities of the suspects had not yet been released.
Following the violence, local reconciliation figures moved quickly to prevent further bloodshed. Elders from both families were convened by the town’s reconciliation committee, and a temporary truce was reached within about an hour, police said.
Some of those arrested are expected to be brought before a court for remand hearings in the coming days. Police said operations in the area would continue as part of broader efforts to curb violent crime, disrupt illegal weapons trafficking, and respond swiftly to any renewed unrest.
Saturday night’s attack comes amid a surging wave of crime in the Arab sector, in which 55 people have been murdered since the beginning of 2026. The previous year saw a record 252 Israeli-Arab homicides — more than double the 120 homicides in 2022.
The surge is attributed to organized crime groups fighting turf battles and attempting to eliminate rivals. Arab criminal organizations have been involved in extortion, money laundering, and trafficking in weapons, drugs, and women.
Critics argue the crime wave has worsened since Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician, became National Security Minister in 2022.
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