In Israel, seven Israelis were arrested for espionage in favor of Iran. They are suspected of gathering information and filming IDF military facilities, including the Golani base in the Binyamin area, which was hit by a drone strike resulting in the death of soldiers.
Residents of the north, who emigrated from Azerbaijan, are accused of completing about 600 tasks for Iranian handlers over two years, reports The Times of Israel citing Israeli counterintelligence (Shin Bet). For this, they received 'hundreds of thousands of dollars,' which were transferred in cryptocurrency or given in cash, often through Russian tourists.
All seven arrested are residents of Haifa, citizens of Israel and Azerbaijan. Five are natives of Azerbaijan, and two were born in Israel. Their names are Aziz Nisanov, Alexander Sedikov, Vyacheslav Goshchin, Evgeny Yufa, Igal Nisan, and two minors (children of the detained adults), whose details are not disclosed. The Israelis communicated with two Iranian agents who called themselves 'Alkhan' and 'Orkhan,' knowing that the information they transmitted could pose a danger to the state. 'They desperately sought assignments because they desperately needed money,' a police source told the publication.
According to the investigation, Nisanov was initially recruited for espionage work in Azerbaijan, then connected with a Turkish intermediary calling himself 'Alkhasan.' Nisanov recruited six more people, some of whom were his relatives, reports Channel 12. The suspects are accused of photographing and gathering information on IDF bases and facilities, including the Kirya defense headquarters in Tel Aviv and the Nevatim and Ramat David airbases. Some of the facilities, which the suspects are accused of scouting, have been targets of attacks since the war began last year: Nevatim base suffered two missile strikes from Iran, and Ramat David was attacked by Hezbollah. The suspects are also accused of gathering information on Iron Dome batteries, ports, and energy infrastructure, including the power plant in Hadera.
'As part of the investigation, a large amount of material collected by network members and transferred to Iranian agents was seized, including photos and videos of many IDF bases across the country, ports, and Israel's energy infrastructure, all while the country is at war on multiple fronts,' said a senior Shin Bet official.
The Israelis are also accused of gathering information for their Iranian contacts on several Israeli citizens, including a senior security official, whom the authorities have not publicly named, and possibly being involved in a plot to assassinate him.
Today, as part of another espionage case in favor of Iran, seven residents of East Jerusalem were arrested on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks in Israel, including the assassination of an Israeli nuclear scientist and the mayor of a city in the center of the country.
According to police and Shin Bet representatives, all suspects are aged 19 to 23. The group's leader, 23-year-old Rami Alian, was recruited by an Iranian agent. None of the suspects had criminal records or security connections.
The cell operated for about two years. They received various assignments, for which they were paid thousands of shekels, including graffiti demanding the release of hostages in Gaza and vandalism in Jerusalem, as well as being tasked with photographing various locations.
According to intelligence services, Alian was given a photo and address of the nuclear scientist and told that if successful, he would be paid 200,000 shekels ($53,000). Authorities claim he began preparations for this act, but the cell was arrested before they could carry out their plan.
Channel 12 reports that Alian told investigators he knew he was working for the Iranians and wanted to harm national security, citing the war in Gaza.
Photo: Flash 90