“One of the most serious cases of recent years” in terms of espionage. This is how the Israeli Justice Ministry describes an alleged spying operation on behalf of Iran. Israeli police announced this Monday, October 21, that they had arrested seven Israelis accused of spying for Tehran, having gathered “sensitive” information on military bases and energy sites. They were arrested during a joint operation by the police, domestic intelligence services (Shin Bet) and the army after more than two years of investigation.
According to this investigation, five adults and two minors were recruited by Iranian intelligence agents and the information they gathered “caused security damage”, police said in a statement. The seven suspects, Israeli Jews of Azeri origin from Haifa and its suburbs, have been detained for approximately 35 days, precise The Jerusalem Post.
Some 600 missions for Iran
“This network was responsible for collecting sensitive information on Israeli Defense Force (military) bases and energy infrastructure,” police said. According to investigators, this network conducted extensive reconnaissance missions on military bases throughout the country focusing on air force and navy sites, ports, Iron Dome missile defense system bases and energy infrastructure such as the Hadera power plant, in the north of the country. They also allegedly gathered information on Israeli nationals.
The Jerusalem Post provides details of notable sites involved in these alleged espionage operations: Ramat David Air Base, Nevatim Air Base, Glilot Air Base and Golani Brigade Base, where four soldiers were killed in an attack by Hezbollah drone last week. In total, the suspects carried out some 600 missions for Iran, according to Israeli justice.
An “attack on state security”
“As part of the investigation, many seized documents were collected by members of the network and handed over to Iranian agents,” a senior Shin Bet source told The Jerusalem Post. The group was allegedly led by two Iranian intelligence agents, called “Alkhan” and “Orkhan”, specifies the Israeli daily. The suspects “received maps of strategic sites from their managers, in particular the Golani brigade base,” the attorney general also indicated.
Members of the network were aware that the information gathered “threatened national security and could potentially aid enemy missile attacks,” police said. They are expected to be formally charged on Friday, October 25, the Justice Department said in a separate statement. The suspects’ actions “undermined state security,” a senior Shin Bet official told Reuters on Monday. The Jerusalem Post.
Lure of winning and payment in cryptocurrency
According to police officials, the suspects were motivated solely by financial gain, receiving varying payments depending on the risk of the operation. In total, they would have received several hundred thousand dollars for these missions, particularly in cryptocurrency. The payments were routed through Russian intermediaries who traveled to Israel. The suspects “harmed the State of Israel and its citizens,” police said.
“Those who spy for Iran will lose their citizenship,” Interior Minister Moshe Arbel told the Israeli site Ynet. As recounted The Jerusalem Postthe attorney general stressed that this case joins a series of similar cases revealed in recent weeks, some of which led to arrests and indictments.