Betrayal from within: Israeli spy for Iran faces life sentence

Israeli man accused of spying for Tehran was recruited by Iranian operatives introduced to him by his Iranian girlfriend.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli man has been charged with espionage over his alleged work on behalf of Iran, including sharing information on Israeli military operations during last month’s 12-day war between the two countries.

On May 25, the state attorney’s office filed an indictment against the man, with charges including contact with a foreign agent and providing information to the enemy with intent to harm the security of the state, an offense punishable by life imprisonment.

The suspect, an Israeli citizen who was born in Iran, immigrated to the Jewish state under the Law of Return in 1999.

Even after leaving Iran, however, the suspect maintained a romantic relationship with an Iranian woman, who later was involved in recruiting him as an Iranian operative.

During a trip to Turkey in 2024 to meet with his Iranian girlfriend, the suspect was introduced to two Iranian spies. According to prosecutors, the suspect was fully aware the two individuals were agents of the Iranian government.

Following the meeting, the two Iranian spies kept in touch with the suspect via the Telegram messaging application.

The suspect provided his two handlers with information on various subjects, including the identity of an Iranian sailor who allegedly provided intelligence to Israel.

Furthermore, the suspect revealed information regarding Israeli plans to attack Iran, the flight paths of Israeli unmanned aircraft en route to Iran, and details regarding hits scored by Iranian missiles.

For example, the suspect informed his handlers that an Israeli air base was among the targets hit in a ballistic missile barrage.

Some of the information transmitted by the suspect was classified, prosecutors said.

The Central District Court in Lod has barred publication of the suspect’s identity.