Israeli man arrested for spying for Iran, targeting former prime minister

During the June 2025 war with Iran, Gaidarov reportedly provided detailed information on missile impact zones in northern Israel, photographed Haifa Port, and tracked the arrival of foreign naval vessels.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli authorities announced the arrest of a young man from Haifa last month on charges of collaborating with Iranian intelligence to conduct attacks on Israeli soil, including plotting against former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, it was cleared for publication on Thursday.

Ami Gaidarov, 22, is accused of producing explosives at his apartment in northern Israel to harm Bennett and transmitting real-time information about missile strikes and strategic sites to Iranian operatives, officials said.

He allegedly received more than NIS 70,000 ($22,600) for his activities.

“Gaidarov had been in contact with an Iranian agent since August 2025 and carried out multiple assignments for financial gain,” said Israel Police.

Authorities said he also recruited friends to help acquire chemical materials and carry out experiments with explosives.

Two of them, Sergei Libman and Eduard Shubtyuk, were detained for their involvement.

The investigation revealed that Gaidarov not only manufactured explosives but also documented their production, sending photos and videos to his handlers as proof.

“The young man approached Iranian operatives on his own initiative,” said Police Superintendent Maor Goren. “He knew he was consciously establishing contact with foreign intelligence.”

During the June 2025 war with Iran, Gaidarov reportedly provided detailed information on missile impact zones in northern Israel, photographed Haifa Port, and tracked the arrival of foreign naval vessels.

He was also instructed to locate an apartment with a view of the harbor for potential surveillance purposes.

“The information Gaidarov provided allowed the Iranians to monitor Israel’s military responses,” Goren said. “Even without carrying out an attack, his activities represented serious assistance to an enemy during wartime.”

Police emphasized that Gaidarov never received explicit instructions to place an explosive device, though his actions still posed a serious risk. “The amount of explosives he produced could have caused a catastrophic accident,” Goren said.

Since June 2025, Israeli police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) have uncovered more than 16 espionage cases linked to Iran.

In February, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed authorities to pursue the revocation of citizenship for Israelis convicted of spying for Iran during wartime.

An Israeli citizen with no other nationality would be allowed to remain in Israel with the status of a permanent resident, losing voting rights.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has endorsed the measure, which would apply once a conviction is finalized.