Israel’s Internal Security Agency, Shin Bet, announced today that it thwarted a Hamas plot to assassinate National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and arrested members of a Hamas cell.

The planned Hamas attack against the far-right minister was to involve the use of explosive drones, the agency said.

According to Shin Bet, members of a Hamas cell from the Hebron area in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were arrested, and drones were seized. The agency also noted that it believes the group operated a Hamas command center in Turkey “with the aim of carrying out an assassination attempt against Ben-Gvir.”

An investigation is underway, it added.

Hamas, with which Israel has been at war in the Gaza Strip for nearly two years, was not immediately available for comment.

In a statement, the far-right Israeli minister said he would not be deterred or intimidated. “Hamas has already tried five times to assassinate me, and each time it failed,” he said, thanking God and Israel’s security forces.