A 15-year-old from northern Israel has been indicted for planning an ISIS–inspired terrorist attack, Israeli police announced Thursday, in a case that security officials say underscores the growing reach of global jihadist ideology into Israel itself.

According to police, the minor pledged allegiance to Islamic State (ISIS) and was arrested several weeks ago following a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police Northern District.

During the arrest, investigators discovered detailed instructions in the suspect’s possession for assembling an explosive belt—material typically associated with suicide bombings. Authorities said the documents went beyond ideological material and reflected concrete operational intent.

Interrogations revealed that the teen had established contact with ISIS operatives abroad and had begun taking steps to carry out an attack inside Israel. Police said the suspect openly praised previous terrorist attacks against the State of Israel and expressed a desire for its destruction.

Security officials described the case as particularly alarming due to the suspect’s age and the advanced stage of preparation. The indictment was filed after investigators concluded that the plot had moved from radicalization to actionable planning.

The case is not an isolated incident. In November, Israeli security forces arrested an 18-year-old resident of the Negev accused of planning a suicide bombing targeting soldiers at a bus station in Beersheva. That suspect, authorities said at the time, was also inspired by ISIS ideology, had taken steps to manufacture explosive devices, and was found in possession of bomb-making instructions.

Israeli security officials have repeatedly warned that ISIS-inspired radicalization—often fueled by online propaganda and foreign contacts—poses a persistent threat, particularly among vulnerable youth. While ISIS no longer controls large swaths of territory in the Middle East, intelligence officials say its ideology continues to motivate lone actors and small cells seeking to carry out attacks.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)