JERUSALEM, June 23 – Israeli police have arrested three citizens suspected of espionage and security-related offenses on behalf of Iran, authorities said on Monday, as the exchange of air raids between the two countries entered its 11th day.
The three unrelated cases include a 19-year-old resident of central Israel who, according to a police statement, was arrested on suspicion of sharing classified information with an Iranian operative during the ongoing conflict. The investigation is being conducted in coordination with the Shin Bet internal security agency.
In a separate case, 28-year-old Dmitry Cohen from Haifa was arrested on suspicion of conducting surveillance on Israeli civilians whose personal details were provided by his Iranian contact. Police said he photographed their homes and tracked their movements, sending the images via a dedicated phone used for covert communication. He was allegedly paid around 500 U.S. dollars per mission.
The third suspect, a 27-year-old man from Tel Aviv, was detained on suspicion of carrying out tasks for an Iranian handler. The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court extended his detention until Thursday. He allegedly documented the homes of public officials and military bases, and was paid thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency for his activities.
The arrests are the latest in a series of incidents since the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, in which Israeli citizens have been accused of being recruited by Iran through social media to gather intelligence.
XINHUA
