(JNS) The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced this week that it had broken up a major Hamas terror plot and arrested more than 50 operatives of the organization throughout the West Bank. Raids conducted in cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Police led to the arrests of more than 50 Hamas operatives, stated the Shin Bet.

Security forces also captured weapons and materials for preparing four suicide-bomb belts.

The raids took place in recent weeks, targeting attacks primarily planned for the West Bank and Jerusalem.

“The activity was funded and managed by Hamas senior operatives, headed by Salah al-Arouri, deputy chairman of Hamas and head of the “West Bank arena”—a body located abroad that operates to set in motion Hamas activity in Judea and Samaria, and Jerusalem,” said the Shin Bet in a statement.

A senior Shin Bet source said the disruption of a “broad, significant, dangerous terror cell” prevented a series of severe attacks. Its objective was to “undermine regional stability while creating a heavy price tag for local [Palestinian] residents,” said the source.