Israeli security services have arrested a Tel Aviv resident accused of being involved in an Iran-backed plot targeting the country’s politicians and military bases, as the number of cases continues to rise.
In a statement, Israel Police said: “The Shin Bet and the police emphasize: Iranian agents are trying to recruit Israelis on social media - any suspicious contact should be reported.”
In a paper for the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, Oded Ailam, a former head of Mossad’s counter terrorism unit, wrote: “Through aggressive mass campaigns on social media, thousands of Israelis are being approached."
"Messages like 'Want to earn some easy cash?' now pepper the digital landscape. No serious screening or background checks, just a Telegram or email message offering money for a 'simple task.' Track a senior figure. Snap a photo of a base. Willing to try? You’re in.”
The latest case is a 27-year-old Tel Aviv resident. Israel Police said he was arrested “on suspicion of carrying out tasks for an Iranian agent, including documenting the homes of elected officials and military bases - in exchange for payment in virtual currencies”.
A prosecutor's statement was filed against him on Monday.
Ailam said that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has discarded the slow, resource-heavy traditions of classical espionage.
“No more lengthy vetting, grueling training, or elaborate cover stories. Instead, they’ve embraced a model that’s raw, direct, and disturbingly effective. This is Iran’s version of digital marketing applied to espionage: blanket targeting, no filters."
“And like any marketing effort, only a tiny fraction need to respond for the campaign to succeed. To Tehran, even a one percent success rate from a thousand messages is worth it. It’s a chillingly rational approach: volume will eventually produce the quality they seek. And sadly, it works.”
Last year, Israel saw a 400% spike in alleged Iran-backed spy cases, arresting 27 Israeli citizens in 13 separate cases.
This year, cases continue, with plots including a planned attack on Defense Minister Israel Katz, believed to have been the 20th case since the start of the Gaza war.
In February, two army reservists were caught passing classified information on the country’s Iron Dome defense system to an Iranian operative.
