The silhouette of a man, seen over the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran (illustrative) (photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)
JERUSALEM POST | Published December 11, 2024
Among the unfulfilled goals of the cells was the assassination of an Israeli nuclear scientist and former military officials.
Israel’s arrest of almost 30 mostly Jewish citizens who spied for Iran in nine covert cells has caused alarm in the country and points to Tehran’s biggest effort in decades to infiltrate it, four Israeli security sources said.
Among the unfulfilled goals of the cells was the assassination of an Israeli nuclear scientist and former military officials, while one group gathered information on military bases and air defenses, the security service Shin Bet has said. Last week, the agency and Israel’s police said a father and son team had passed on details of Israeli force movements, including in the Golan Heights where they lived.
The arrests follow repeated efforts by Iranian intelligence operatives over the past two years to recruit ordinary Israelis to gather intelligence and carry out attacks in exchange for money, the four serving and former military and security officials said.
The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.
“There is a large phenomenon here,” said Shalom Ben Hanan, a former top Shin Bet official, referring to what he called the surprising number of Jewish citizens who knowingly agreed to work for Iran against the state with intelligence gathering or planning sabotage and attacks.
TEL AVIV, Dec 11 (Reuters) – Israel’s arrest of almost 30 mostly Jewish citizens who allegedly spied for Iran in nine covert cells has caused alarm in the country and points to Tehran’s biggest effort in decades to infiltrate its arch foe, four Israeli security sources said.
Among the unfulfilled goals of the alleged cells was the assassination of an Israeli nuclear scientist and former military officials, while one group gathered information on military bases and air defences, security service Shin Bet has said. Last week, the agency and Israel’s police said a father and son team had passed on details of Israeli force movements including in the Golan Heights where they lived.
The arrests follow repeated efforts by Iranian intelligence operatives over the past two years to recruit ordinary Israelis to gather intelligence and carry out attacks in exchange for money, the four serving and former military and security officials said.
The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.
“There is a large phenomenon here,” said Shalom Ben Hanan, a former top Shin Bet official, referring to what he called the surprising number of Jewish citizens who knowingly agreed to work for Iran against the state with intelligence gathering or planning sabotage and attacks.
Shin Bet and the police did not respond to requests for comment. Iran’s foreign ministry did not respond to questions.
In a statement sent to media after the wave of arrests, Iran’s U.N. mission did not confirm or deny seeking to recruit Israelis and said that “from a logical standpoint” any such efforts by Iranian intelligence services would focus on non-Iranian and non-Muslim individuals to lessen suspicion.
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