Israel asks Cyprus, Greece to up tourist protection

Defense sources maintain Iran and its proxies are in midst of global campaign to target Israeli civilians.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Smoke in Bulgaria bombing 390 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Smoke in Bulgaria bombing 390
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Israel has asked security forces around the world, including in Cyprus and Greece, to increase protection for Israeli tourists ahead of the High Holy Days.
The request has gone out to police and governments in additional countries such as Thailand, where large numbers of Israelis are set to visit in the coming weeks.
“We’ve identified a continuation of the Iranian global campaign to launch terror attacks on Israelis,” a defense source said on Wednesday.
“Masses of Israelis will head abroad,” the source added.
There are no concrete intelligence tip offs on impending attacks, other than in the Sinai Peninsula, but the Israeli defense community says that the deadly terrorist atrocity in Bulgaria, in which five Israelis and a local bus driver were murdered by a suicide bomber, does not mark the end of the Iranian-led terror campaign.
“The ongoing wave of terror began with official state symbols,” the source said, referring to botched terror attacks on Israeli targets in February of this year, in India, Thailand and Georgia, “They then targeted soft targets, tourists,” the source added.
“The campaign is being led by Iran, with Hezbollah acting as its proxy,” the source said.
Israeli embassies around the world have received security updates, while venues that host large numbers of Israelis are also seeing stepped up security.
“We’re sending messages to every country hosting Israeli tourists,” the source added. “It is very disturbing to see Iran, as a terrorist state, wage this determined campaign,” he said.
Iran’s Quds force, together with Hezbollah and other proxies and middlemen are all involved in the effort to pull off additional terror attacks, according to security evaluations.