Hundreds of heavily armed police and Border Police officers raided Tarabin al-Sana on Monday afternoon, bringing military-style tactics to the southern Bedouin town amid intensifying police operations in the Negev.

The sweeping raid came days after four of the town’s residents allegedly set fire to cars in neighboring Jewish areas. Three suspects from were arrested within a day of the incident.

The arson was considered “revenge” for previous police operations in the town and prompted a visit on Sunday by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who vowed to crack down on crime in the locale and southern Israel as a whole.

As rain beat down on the desert, dozens of Border Police vans crawled into Tarabin al-Sana at a slow pace. Police decked out in riot helmets and tactical gear were seen entering homes, as mounted officers patrolled waterlogged streets.

Police cordoned off the perimeter of the village with cinderblocks at each entrance, an increasingly common yet controversial law enforcement practice in Negev Bedouin towns. The operation continued into the evening.

Residents said they were alarmed by officers’ conduct during the raid. According to Haaretz and Ynet, police threw........

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