Cleared for publication: Israeli security personnel have uncovered a network of seven Israeli Jews who have been working for Iran.
The Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency, Israel Police Lahav Unit 433 and IDF Military Intelligence discovered the Haifa-based northern Israeli spy operation, which included two minors and an IDF deserter.
Indictments against the members of the espionage cell are expected to be filed by Friday.
The group gathered intelligence on sensitive Israeli sites such as IDF military bases, national energy infrastructure and Iron Dome aerial defense systems. The suspects used advanced equipment provided by their Iranian handlers to carry out their tasks.
Over the last two years, under the guidance of Iranian agents known as “Alkhan” and “Orkhan,” the suspects collected intelligence on military installations, including the Nevatim and Ramat David airbases, IDF Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv, the Golani training base, and Iron Dome batteries. The group also conducted surveillance on Israeli citizens.
In exchange, the seven suspects were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, said Israel Police and the Shin Bet.
Investigators believe the information gathered by the network may have directly contributed to missile attacks.
The discovery of the operation has highlighted the growing threat of Iranian intelligence exploiting Israeli citizens to carry out espionage and terror activities.
Israeli security officials said the group’s actions compromised the nation’s security at a time when the country is already engaged in conflicts on multiple fronts.
A senior Shin Bet official noted that the network’s actions caused serious harm to national security as the suspects transmitted extensive sensitive material to Iran, including photos and videos of strategic sites across Israel.
A police spokesperson added that the scale and severity of the suspects’ actions are among the most dangerous Israel has ever faced, adding that the suspects “knowingly engaged in acts that endangered the state and its citizens for financial gain.”
This case once again underscores Iran’s relentless efforts to recruit Israeli citizens for espionage and terror activities.
Israeli security forces pledged to continue their efforts to expose and counter Iranian infiltration, holding those involved accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
