Israeli authorities have arrested seven citizens suspected of spying on Israel’s military bases for Iranian intelligence, in what is considered one of the most serious cases in the country, according to Israel Police. The suspects, including two minors, were residents of Haifa and northern Israel, and are believed to have carried out numerous security tasks for Iranian intelligence over a period of two years.
Under the direction of two Iranian intelligence agents known as “Alkhan” and “Oran,” the suspects gathered information in exchange for “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in cryptocurrency. The intelligence collected included details on Israel Defense Forces’ bases, Air Force and Navy installations, ports, Iron Dome air defense systems, and energy infrastructure sites such as the Hadera power plant.
The suspects photographed and documented key infrastructure sites and provided the information to the Iranian agents. They were also equipped with specialized tools to carry out these missions. Police stated that the suspects were aware that their actions could compromise Israel’s national security and potentially assist the enemy in launching a missile attack on Israel.
Authorities noted that the suspects’ espionage activities have caused security damage to Israel, with the investigation revealing the severity of the case. Despite being aware of the harm their actions could cause, the suspects allegedly acted out of greed for money. The prosecutor’s office is expected to file indictments against them soon.
Israeli authorities also highlighted Iran’s efforts to recruit and exploit Israeli citizens for espionage and terrorist activities within Israel. This case comes after the recent arrest of an Israeli citizen who was reportedly recruited by Iranian intelligence to plan the assassinations of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Security Agency’s chief Ronen Bar.
The individual, described as a businessman who resided in Turkey for an extended period, had connections that led him to a wealthy Iranian businessman named Eddie. This individual was smuggled into Iran for meetings with Eddie and an Iranian security operative, receiving instructions to carry out various security missions for the Iranian regime.
These tasks included transferring money or weapons at specific locations, photographing crowded places in Israel and sending the images to Iranian contacts, and threatening other Israelis recruited by Iran who had not fulfilled their duties.
