Israeli police say Iran using WhatsApp, Facebook, blackmail to recruit spies as latest attempt foiled

The apprehension of 2 Israeli Air Force unit connected allegations of espionage has underscored Iran’s expanding efforts to penetrate Israel’s subject by recruiting operatives from within.

Over the past twelvemonth and a half, Israeli police, moving alongside the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), person investigated much than 20 cases involving an estimated 40 to 50 suspects. Most stay successful custody, though investigators judge further suspects are inactive astatine large.

Capt. Sefi Berger of the Israel Police’s Lahav International and Major Crimes Unit, which investigates Iranian espionage cases, told Fox News Digital that Tehran chiefly seeks quality that could assistance onslaught planning, on with accusation connected high-profile individuals and different delicate targets.

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Ami Gaydarov was arrested connected March 9 by Israeli authorities connected suspicion of moving with Iranian handlers to harm a high-ranking official. (Israeli Police)

Payments alteration widely. One web of 7 suspects reportedly received astir $300,000, portion an Iron Dome reservist was allegedly paid $1,000 — and successful immoderate cases, adjacent less.

"People whitethorn deliberation they volition get rich, but the wealth is not life-changing," Berger said. "In 1 lawsuit past twelvemonth involving 2 soldiers, 1 received conscionable $21 and has been successful situation for a twelvemonth and a half."

Iranian recruitment tactics see infiltrating WhatsApp and Facebook groups utilized by Israelis seeking freelance work, arsenic good arsenic pornography websites, wherever agents allegedly usage compromising worldly to blackmail individuals into cooperating. Recruitment besides relies connected affectional manipulation of individuals whose motivation judgement whitethorn beryllium compromised.

"When recruiting a person, a narration tin make betwixt the handler and the spy. Sometimes the plus is looking for a begetter fig oregon a person — idiosyncratic who listens without judgment," Berger said.

Former Shin Bet handler Gonen Ben Itzhak, who spent years recruiting sources wrong Palestinian society, told Fox News Digital that the contented is peculiarly serious, saying helium has not antecedently seen truthful galore attempts — and immoderate palmy cases — of spying against Israel.

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Israel Police arresting a fishy successful narration to Iranian espionage successful Haifa.  (Israel Police Spokesperson)

"The million-dollar question is who makes a bully recruit. We don’t person a wide answer. There are definite indicators that idiosyncratic whitethorn beryllium much susceptible. The Iranians usage societal media — thing we didn’t person successful the aforesaid mode —and it’s a almighty instrumentality to place imaginable motives," helium said.

As a handler, Ben Itzhak said helium sought to enlistee arsenic galore viable candidates arsenic imaginable portion avoiding individuals apt to pull suspicion, specified arsenic known criminals. He described the process arsenic gradual and often uncertain.

"At first, they request to hold to conscionable successful secret. Sometimes they travel but won’t stock information. I would commencement with elemental questions — who leads Hamas successful their village," helium said.

"Sometimes it takes time. Some garbage to cooperate, immoderate whitethorn adjacent enactment arsenic treble agents. In galore cases, they are trained to cod accusation without being exposed. It’s a process," Ben Itzhak added.

In March, 22-year-old Haifa nonmigratory Ami Gaydarov was arrested connected suspicion of manufacturing explosives intended to people a elder Israeli fig astatine the absorption of an Iranian agent.

A billboard depicting Iran's ultimate leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed supra a road successful Tehran connected March 10, 2026. Iran marked the assignment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to regenerate his begetter arsenic its ultimate person connected March 9, 2026.  (AFP/Via Getty Images)

Last month, a antheral from the Israeli-Arab metropolis of Qalansawe was detained connected suspicion of allegedly spying for "a hostile actor, mediated done the Al Jazeera channel." According to the investigation, Miqdad Moder Hosni Natur made interaction with his handler aft being introduced portion searching for occupation opportunities done the Qatari-owned quality organization.

Under Israeli law, interaction with a overseas cause carries a condemnation of up to 15 years successful prison. Providing quality tin effect successful much than 10 years’ imprisonment, portion aiding the force during wartime carries a minimum condemnation of beingness imprisonment and, successful utmost cases, the decease penalty.

Berger besides warned against attempts by Israelis to deceive overseas agents, stressing that immoderate interaction is simply a superior offense.

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"We had a edifice idiosyncratic adjacent the Dead Sea who falsely told Iranians that a radical of Israelis would arrive. He said it was a lie, but I explained helium had efficaciously enactment a people connected that hotel, its unit and guests, and encouraged an attack," Berger said.

"People unfamiliar with this satellite should not prosecute successful it. Contact is an offense, providing accusation is an offense, and aiding the force is the astir severe," helium added.

Israeli national Moti Maman stands successful a courtroom aft helium was accused by Israeli information services of engagement successful an Iranian-backed assassination crippled targeting salient radical including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, successful Beersheba District Court successful confederate Israel, Sept. 19, 2024.  (Reuters/Stringer )

While astir suspects stay successful custody awaiting trial, immoderate cases are advancing done the courts.

One concluded lawsuit progressive 70-year-old Moti Maman, who was convicted and sentenced to 10 years successful situation aft doubly entering Iran, wherever helium met with quality agents to sermon carrying retired violent enactment successful Israel. He besides discussed the anticipation of assassinating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Former Mossad operative Gad Shimron told Fox News Digital that portion the espionage efforts person caused damage, their interaction appears tactical alternatively than strategic. However, helium cautioned against complacency.

"The physics Iron Dome is trying to drawback Israelis consenting to enactment for the Iranians, and I judge it is rather efficient," helium said. "But 1 should ne'er underestimate the enemy. I americium definite they are investing a batch of effort and that they person immoderate successes we don’t yet cognize of."