Jerusalem police just pulled off one of the biggest overnight sweeps in recent memory, locking up 155 people caught living in Israel without any legal permits. Border Police units teamed up with Jerusalem District officers and hit several compounds in the northern neighborhood of Beit Hanina after tips poured into the Shafat police station about illegal stay and the people housing them. Officers moved in under cover of darkness, questioned everyone on the spot, and found the entire group lacked the required authorization to remain in the country. Two additional suspects were cuffed on suspicion of providing the accommodation that kept the operation running. Every one of the 155 was immediately transferred for removal to Judea and Samaria while the two alleged landlords were hauled to Shafat station for deeper questioning. The scale of the haul in a single night has left many asking how so many people managed to settle in without detection for so long.

Authorities described the raid as a direct response to solid intelligence that pointed to organized illegal presence right inside the capital’s northern edge. The compounds targeted were not random; officers had specific information about who was staying there and who was enabling it. Once the detentions were complete, the removal process kicked in fast, sending the 155 out of the area under controlled transfer. The two suspects accused of housing them now face further investigation that could reveal how widespread the network actually is. Police say this kind of coordinated action shows they are serious about enforcing the rules and will keep hitting locations where illegal residency is reported. Residents and officials alike are watching closely to see whether more operations follow in the coming nights, because one massive roundup like this rarely stands alone when the numbers climb this high.