Iran recruited Israeli couple as assassination squad

Two Israelis arrested after allegedly being recruited by Tehran to carry out acts of sabotage and assassinations in Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli authorities announced Monday that they have uncovered an Iranian-led terrorist squad inside Israel, according to a joint statement released by the Shin Bet internal security agency and the Israel Police’s Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit.

According to the Shin Bet and Israel Police, the Iranian-backed terrorist cell was run by two Israeli citizens from the central Israeli city of Ramat Gan.

Both suspects have been arrested in connection with the plot.

The primary suspect, Vladislav Viktorson, 30, was reportedly in contact with an individual using the alias “Mari Hossi” on social media since August. The investigation revealed that Viktorson knowingly carried out various tasks under Iranian guidance. These included spray-painting graffiti, posting flyers, hiding funds, and setting vehicles on fire near Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv.

Authorities reported that Viktorson later escalated his activities, following instructions to sabotage communications infrastructure, vandalize ATMs, and set forests on fire. For his efforts, he allegedly received over $5,000 in payments. Investigators also discovered that Viktorson had agreed to carry out an assassination of a public figure and to throw a grenade at a targeted residence. He subsequently sought weapons, including sniper rifles, pistols, and fragmentation grenades.

In executing these assignments, Viktorson enlisted two accomplices, including his 18-year-old partner, Anna Bernstein, also from Ramat Gan.

She is believed to have participated in some of the missions.

Viktorson was also instructed to recruit homeless individuals for additional tasks and to document protestors at demonstrations.

Both suspects have been indicted on security-related charges.

The Shin Bet warned that social media platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter are being exploited by Iranian intelligence to recruit Israelis.

While the tasks may initially seem harmless, the agency warned that they could lead to severe national security threats.

Recruitment efforts were conducted in multiple languages, including Hebrew and English, to lure participants with financial incentives.

The statement noted that many Israelis who received suspicious approaches rejected them and reported the incidents to the relevant authorities.

A senior Shin Bet official added that this investigation is part of a broader effort to dismantle Iranian intelligence networks targeting Israel.

In recent months, several fake profiles linked to Iranian operatives have been identified, and further arrests have been made. The agency stressed that this case underscores ongoing Iranian attempts to exploit Israeli citizens for espionage and terrorism purposes.