Iran surveilled former Israeli defense minister

Arab Israeli man arrested for spying on former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on behalf of Iran.

By World Israel News Staff

An Arab Israeli man was indicted Monday for spying on behalf of Iran, including surveillance operations targeting a former Israeli defense minister.

The suspect has been identified as Fares Abu Al-Hija, 32, of Kaukab Abu al-Hija in northern Israel.

According to a joint statement issued Monday by police and the Shin Bet security agency, Abu Al-Hija was arrested several weeks ago while surveilling former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (Likud).

Prosecutors say that between October 2025 and January 2026, Abu Al-Hija communicated via Telegram with a person who called himself “Martin” and carried out missions in return for payments transferred through the Binance cryptocurrency application.

The indictment says the suspect continued working for “Martin” even after he suspected that the contact was a foreign agent.

Abu Al-Hija’s missions included purchasing mobile phones and a charger, hiding them at multiple locations in Haifa and Kiryat Haim, activating the devices, installing communications applications, and documenting the hiding places before sending the information to his handler.

He was also instructed to deliver an envelope containing an access code for a cryptocurrency account to a location in Zikhron Ya’akov and to photograph a café in Tel Aviv, the indictment said.

In January 2026, prosecutors said, Abu Al-Hija was asked to travel to the community of Amikam and photograph streets near Gallant’s home. After sending the images to his handler, he was arrested at the location.

“In recent years, and particularly since Operation Rising Lion, we have witnessed intensified efforts by Iranian elements to recruit and operate civilians within the State of Israel,” the Shin Bet and Israel Police said.

“The Shin Bet and Israel Police view any involvement in such activity with the utmost severity and will continue to act to bring to justice all those involved in harming the security of the state and its citizens.”