Israeli man indicted for spying for Iran for more than a year

Shimon Azarzar reportedly extracted classified information on IDF bases from his reservist girlfriend.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

In another case of Israelis caught spying for Iran, Shimon Azarzar was indicted Sunday in Haifa District Court after allegedly passing reports to his handlers for more than a year.

The charges state that Azarzar, a resident of Kiryat Yam, obtained classified information from his girlfriend, who serves at an air force base as a reservist, for classified information about her base as well as others, and sensitive information about the IDF in general.

The 27-year-old also allegedly sent photos and locations of strategic sites in the country and even offered to send his handler vital information from inside an IDF base.

Both were arrested a month ago in a joint operation by the General Security Service (Shin Bet) and the Israel Police on suspicion of committing security offenses involving contact with Iranian intelligence elements and carrying out security missions under their direction.

Azarzar was allegedly paid by digital means for his services.

“The Israel Security Agency and Israel Police once again warn Israeli citizens and residents against maintaining any contact with foreign elements from enemy states or unidentified sources, and certainly against performing missions for them in exchange for money or for any other reason,” the Shin Bet and police said in a joint statement.

“Israel’s security bodies will continue to identify and thwart terror and espionage activity in Israel and will work to bring all those involved to justice,” they added.

There have been dozens of cases uncovered throughout the two years of the War of Revival involving Israelis spying for Iran for financial gain.

This case was revealed only a week after another 27-year-old, a resident of Tel Aviv, was arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran.

According to the Shin Bet and police, the unnamed man initiated contact with Iranian agencies through social media.

On their orders, he then took pictures of several sites around his city, including the Tel Aviv Museum and a large park, as well as the impact site in nearby Ramat Gan of an Iranian rocket that hit during Israel’s 12-day air war with Iran in June.

While searching his home, the authorities reportedly found digital evidence and 18 SIM cards used to communicate with his handlers.

The Iranians allegedly paid him thousands of shekels in cryptocurrency for his work.

In this specific instance, after five days in police detention, the Magistrate’s Court declined to put him under house arrest and released the suspect.