A 70-year-old woman from central Israel was arrested today (July 23), accused of attempting to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu using a homemade explosive device.

Israeli police identified the woman as a “known anti-government protester” and revealed that she had contacted other demonstrators in search of ways to obtain weapons. She had also reportedly asked questions regarding the prime minister’s security arrangements.

According to The Jerusalem Post, her personal information and place of residence were initially protected by a court-imposed gag order. However, following a request by investigators, part of the order was lifted, allowing authorities to disclose the charges against her.

Her arrest was carried out by Shin Bet (Israel’s Internal Security Agency), and the investigation was assigned to the Serious and International Crimes Unit of the national Lahav 433 division, based in Lod. Upon conclusion of the inquiry on Wednesday afternoon, the case materials were handed over to the Prosecutor’s Office and the judiciary for criminal prosecution.

The state broadcaster KAN reported that the woman had actually been detained two weeks ago but was later released under restrictive conditions — including a ban on entering government buildings and an order to stay away from the prime minister.