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Israeli security services uncover Iranian espionage plot in northern Israel

Tahrir collected detailed intelligence about IDF movements, including photographs of tanks, armed soldiers, equipment, and weapons.

By Anna Epshtein, TPS

The Shin Bet security service and Israeli Police have arrested two residents of Mas’ade village who were allegedly recruited by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to gather intelligence on IDF activities. Mas’ade is a Druze village in the Israeli Golan Heights.

Tahrir Zafdi, a 21-year-old software engineering student, and his father Bassam Zafdi were detained for conducting espionage operations. According to the investigation, Tahrir collected detailed intelligence about IDF movements, including photographs of tanks, armed soldiers, equipment, and weapons.

The intelligence was reportedly passed to Hussam al-Salam Tawfiq Zidan, a journalist with the Iranian “Al-Alam” channel based in Damascus, who works with the Palestinian branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force.

Investigators revealed that Tahrir continued his espionage activities during the ongoing conflict, collecting information about the IDF troop movements and even missile strike locations. A severe indictment for espionage has been filed against Tahrir.

Bassam Zafdi was also arrested and, due to the high security risk, the Defense Minister signed an administrative detention order. The case highlights Iran’s ongoing efforts to recruit Israeli citizens for intelligence gathering.

Israeli authorities have uncovered lately multiple instances of Iranian intelligence recruitment targeting Israeli citizens, including Jews, Arabs, Druze, and Bedouins.

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On October 31, prosecutors in Tel Aviv filed an indictment against an Israeli man accused of spying on a nuclear scientist who Iranian intelligence sought to assassinate.

Among other numerous cases are the one in which two Israelis were arrested for their involvement in an Iranian plot to assassinate a high-profile Israeli figure. Another seven Israelis arrested for planning to assassinate a senior Israeli scientist and the mayor of a large Israeli city.