Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Dec 27: A soldier’s weapon was stolen after he fell asleep on a bus in the Upper Galilee region of northern Israel, prompting a security alert, Israeli media outlet N12 reported early Saturday.

According to the report, the soldier realised his firearm was missing after waking up from a nap during the bus journey. He immediately alerted the bus driver, who confirmed that he had seen a man carrying a weapon get down from the bus earlier.

Police later identified the suspect as a resident of Maghar, who was seen walking into the city with the stolen weapon. During a subsequent search, police recovered the firearm, which had been hidden, and detained the suspect for questioning.

The incident occurred on the same morning that two Israelis — 68-year-old Shimshon Mordechai and 18-year-old Aviv Maor — were killed in a series of terror attacks, heightening security concerns.

Reports noted that incidents involving soldiers falling asleep have triggered security lapses in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier was accidentally left behind during an operation near Kabatiya, a Palestinian town south of Jenin in the northern West Bank, after he fell asleep.

The soldier was reportedly left alone for nearly 40 minutes before managing to establish contact with another unit.

Security agencies have taken note of the repeated incidents, with investigations underway to prevent similar lapses, reports added.