The Israel Police arrested two residents of the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva this week on suspicion that they broke into an IDF base in southern Israel and stole ammunition.

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The police investigation was launched after a report came in that a base near Beersheba had been breached, and that the suspects had caused damage and stolen ammunition out of an armored vehicle in the base's armory.

The investigation led detections from the Beersheba Police's anti-crime unit to the home of one of the residents of Tel Sheva suspected in the theft. When the man's home was searched, police discovered items that appeared to belong to the military.

On Thursday evening, police located another suspect the same age, also a resident of Tel Sheva. He was due to be arraigned in the Beersheba Magistrates Court on Friday. The first suspect's remand has been extended until Feb. 23.

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The carcass of a whale washed up on Nitzanim Beach on Israel's southern coast on Thursday evening. Israel Nature and Parks Authority ranger David Halfon arrived at the beach and saw that the whale measured 10 meters [yards) in length.

Video: David Halfon, Israel Nature and Parks Authority

Dr. Aviad Scheinan of the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station said, "It was very likely a fin whale. Two weeks ago there were reports [about whales] from two people in Ashdod and Herzliya, without video footage. This is a fairly uncommon occurrence. The last documentation was in 2016.

"Usually, young individual whales arrive in our area. In this case, two, the animal was young, about 10 meters long. At adulthood in the Mediterranean Sea, they grow as long as 20 meters [65 feet], and in the ocean as long as 24 meters [78 feet]."

Researchers are looking into the possibility that a buildup of tar injured the animal, causing it to wash up on the beach.

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The Israel Police on Tuesday asked for the public's help in locating a missing woman saying there was a substantial fear for her life.

The police fear that a body found near the Dead Sea on Sunday could be of the woman in question. She is believed to be an English-speaking tourist, about 50 years old.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts or the case should contact the police emergency hotline (100 from any Israeli phone) or the Arad Police at 972-8-9551222.

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Israeli Air Force pilot cadet Cpl. Lihu Ben-Bassa, 19, who was killed in a plane crash near Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev on Tuesday, was laid to rest Wednesday afternoon at the military cemetery in Rishon Lezion.

Ben-Bassa was three months into his pilot's course. He is survived by his parents and his twin brother.

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The fallen cadet's father, Shlomi, eulogized his son: "Forgive me, my son. You're in every one of my tears and you'll continue to live in every cell in my body. I did the best I could as a father. I'm sorry I didn't do more. Now you'll be present every second of my life. You're in my heart forever, and I carry you with me all the time. Rest in peace. You're not alone. You never will be, I promise."

IAF flight school commander Col. Yuval Harel, also spoke at the funeral.

"You went out for your last flight with [Itay] Zaiden, one of our best pilots and instructors, your experienced and skilled squadron leader. Your friends say that before the flight, Zaiden hugged you like a father and you told them how excited you were to be heading in the right direction, and then it happened.

"Since yesterday, we've been trying to understand what happened. There are a lot more question marks than answers. We will probe the incident, we will learn from the mistakes and how not to repeat them," Harel said.

Shibolet Ben-Bassa, the late cadet's mother, said Wednesday: "My Lihu – the wonderfuly boy you are, you went to serve with some much joy and hope. I held myself back from talking to you about my fears, I didn't want to stop your flight and your commitment.

"God, why? Why you? I don't understand. A gentle, quiet boy, but you have so many talents and so much wisdom in every field … What will we do without you?" she lamented.

IAF flight instructor Maj. Itay Zaiden, 42, who was killed the same crash, was laid to rest Wednesday morning. At his family's request, the funeral was private and the media was not invited to cover it.

The residents of Kibbutz Shoval in the northern Negev, where Zaiden lived, were in heavy mourning. Zaiden's widow, Michal, and his four children – asked not to be interviewed.

Family friend Lior Reiser, spoke on their behalf. "Itay was a very close friend, the best of the best, salt of the earth, a family man, everybody's friend, someone who had wonderful charisma and humanity. His death is a disaster for everyone."

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According to initial reports, the pilot of the Grob G-120 "Snunit" (Swallow) had been trying to execute an emergency landing prior to the crash. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed later on Tuesday that the pilot was an IDF officer who was an instructor in the Pilot's Course as part of his reserve duty while the other man was a cadet in the Israeli Air Force Pilot's Course. The IDF said it was unclear if the cause of the accident was human error or technical malfunction.

"Around 11:35 a.m. the aircraft, which was on a training mission, crashed in an open space in the Negev," the IDF said in a statement. "The instructor pilot served as major in the reserves and as an F-16 squadron leader. The second fatality was a cadet who had joined the Pilot's Course four months ago."

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Footage from the scene showed a large contingent of first responders and parts of the aircraft scattered across a field.

Video: Liora Ben Tzur, Radio Darom

Yanki Weinberg, a volunteer medic with Hazolah who arrived at the scene, said, "We got to the site and saw the plane go up in fire. It crashed in a field and went up in flames. After we put the fire out, we saw tough sights. We saw parts of the plane scattered across the field."

Another medic, Youssef Abu Jaffar, said, "Two young men were killed when a light aircraft crashed. Sadly, they were declared dead at the scene."

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday announced the government will allocate a a 1 billion shekel ($300 million) aid package to the Gaza border adjacent communities.

The plan, which seeks to bolster the area, was announced in a virtual meeting that included Finance Minister Israel Katz, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, and the heads of major local councils in the area.

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The western Negev area has suffered for years from the ongoing rocket fire and other attacks coming from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

"This plan seeks to strengthen community support networks, further develop the local and regional economy, and bolster local government," Netanyahu said.

The main tools provided under the plan will include increase budgets for resilience centers, tax benefits and property tax rebates, special security grants, agricultural technology development, boosting access to welfare services, enhancing the sense of personal security, developing tourism, strengthening formal and informal education, promoting industrial areas, community empowerment, infrastructure development, and more.

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The prime minister lauded the growing demand for housing in southern Israel, noting that Israel's "strict defense policies over any attempt to harm us, as seen recently, combined with bolstering social resilience, is the real answer to terrorist organizations. They seek to destroy while we seek to build," he said.

JNS.org contributed to this report.

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The boy was visiting a crocodile farm on Saturday when the animal bit him, and if it were not for his grandmother's caregiver who pulled him out of danger he could have died from further bites and blood loss.

He was then airlifted to a hospital in Beersheva in serious condition, with a broken hand and major wounds. He was expected to undergo several operations to restore his hand tissue.

According to his mother's account, he ran toward a crocodile pool in an attempt to pet them when the incident happened. Israeli authorities are still trying to figure out whether all the proper safety protocols were followed at the site.

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Netanyahu spoke at the annual memorial event for Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion near his grave at Sde Boker in southern Israel.

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"Ben-Gurion pursued security and peace in an effort to bolster Israel's presence in the region, and we are determined to stand firm too," Netanyahu said in his speech. "Anyone who tries to destroy us and hurt us in any way will meet our resolve, and we are consistent: We will not let Iran act, and it is incumbent to stay out of the previous nuclear deal with Iran, to ensure that it does not get nuclear weapons. Thanks to our steadfast posture against Iran, many Arab states see us differently. If we continue building our strength and shore up our ties with the moderate Arab camp, we will see more countries follow this path."

President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that had been negotiated under the Obama administration. Netanyahu has been one of the most adamant critics of the deal, saying it paved the way for Iran's military nuclearization despite the temporary limits to its nuclear program. President-elect Joe Biden has advocated a return to the nuclear deal if Iran showed it was abiding by its terms.

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However, once police tracked the suspects to their home, police found a heroin manufacturing laboratory and 2.5 kg. (5.5 pounds) of heroin. The drug was packed in small quantities, ready for sale.

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This was the first indictment of its kind since the pandemic erupted.

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The evidence suggests that 24-year-old Yochai Hadad, a resident of Moshav Berekhya who was diagnosed with coronavirus on Sept. 25, violated quarantine and drove to a party that was attended by dozens of other people.

Footage of the party showed that none of those attending it, including Hadad, observed any type of social distancing and only a handful of them wore face masks.

The prosecution argued that as Hadad knew he was positive for corona, the fact that he attuned the party placed everyone around him at risk. Therefore, the indictment includes a charge of maliciously endangering public health by spreading a potentially deadly disease.

If convicted, Hadad could face up to seven years in jail for knowingly placing those around him at risk.

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