Israeli authorities have recently apprehended a network of citizens suspected of spying for Iran, accusing them of gathering intelligence on Israeli military bases and conducting individual surveillance. According to the Israeli police and the Shin Bet internal security service, this group had been active for approximately two years.
Reports indicate that the suspects have been observed photographing and collecting information about critical military installations, including the Kirya defense headquarters in Tel Aviv, as well as the Nevatim and Ramat David airbases. Notably, Nevatim has been targeted by Iranian missile strikes this year, while Ramat David has faced aggression from Hezbollah.
“This marks one of the most significant security investigations in recent years,” a spokesperson for state prosecutors remarked, noting that the group allegedly completed around 600 missions within the two-year period.
The revelation of this network, which includes two minors, follows the September arrest of an Israeli businessman accused of spying for Iran, allegedly traveling to Iran to discuss plans for assassinating prominent Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The apprehended individuals, described as Jewish immigrants from Azerbaijan residing in the Haifa area, were arrested about a month ago and are facing charges of aiding an enemy in wartime. A statement released on Monday revealed that these seven citizens were specifically detained for collecting sensitive information on Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bases and the nation’s energy infrastructure.
According to Haaretz, the suspects purportedly received significant financial compensation, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, through cash transfers and cryptocurrencies, facilitated by Russian intermediaries. Three suspects were reportedly caught in the act of photographing sensitive areas in southern Israel, with police uncovering numerous documents in their possession.
The investigation has shown that over two years, the suspects executed various security missions under the guidance of two Iranian intelligence operatives identified as ‘Alkhan’ and ‘Orkhan.’ The authorities noted that the network members understood that their activities threatened national security and could facilitate enemy missile strikes. They reportedly conducted extensive reconnaissance across IDF installations, focusing on air force and navy bases, ports, Iron Dome locations, and energy sites like the Hadera power plant.
According to the statement, the network was compensated for their operations, driven largely by “greed.” Yaron Binyamin, an investigator, noted, “There was a systematic approach in place. They compiled numerous documents detailing exactly which sites to capture, the information needed, and the payment structure—a real price list.”
The operation involved not just photographing sensitive sites but also transferring the resulting data to Iranian agents, using sophisticated equipment acquired under Iranian direction.
Furthermore, those arrested were tasked with surveilling various Israeli citizens on behalf of Iranian agents, including monitoring specific individuals, some of whom were targeted for potential harm, based on security assessments.
These recent arrests highlight that Israel’s extensive intelligence operations against Iran, Gaza, and Hezbollah are not merely unilateral; Iran and its proxies have been actively engaged in operations within Israel as well. Israeli authorities indicate that there may be additional undisclosed cases currently under investigation.
