The ISA and Israel Police have announced the arrest of Yaakov Perl, 49, an Israeli-American citizen, earlier this month.
Perl, who had lived in Morocco in recent years, was arrested on suspicion of committing various security offenses involving contact with Iranian agents and carrying out tasks under their direction.
The investigation found that in 2017, while Perl was living in Morocco, he made telephone contact with the Iranian embassy in Morocco and requested asylum for himself and his family. After not receiving a response, in 2023, while still in Morocco, Perl connected to Iranian news sites on Telegram and began publishing various pieces against Israel and Zionism.
Following an article of support Perl published in January 2025 after the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, he received an approach from an Iranian source who offered him cooperation, and Perl agreed.
The investigation further found that after agreeing to cooperate with the Iranians and before his arrival in Israel, Perl made several attempts to recruit individuals in Israel and abroad to assist the Iranians in collecting intelligence in Israel. After these attempts failed, Perl agreed to come himself to Israel under the direction of his handlers to carry out the security tasks. To that end, he worked to renew his Israeli passport and arrived in Israel in July 2025.
Upon his arrival in Israel he began carrying out various security tasks under the direction of Iranian intelligence figures, while passing them information about public figures and Israeli citizens, including former IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
As part of his activities, he photographed and filmed various streets and locations in Israel. In exchange for his activity, Perl received funds via cryptocurrency. The investigation also established that Perl carried out the tasks with full awareness that he was acting for Iranian intelligence and that they could harm state security, all stemming from Perl's belief that action should be taken against the State of Israel and Zionism. An indictment is expected to be filed against Perl at the Tel Aviv District Court in the coming days.
Security officials note, "This is a very serious case that constitutes another example of the extensive efforts by Iranian intelligence elements to recruit Israeli citizens at home and abroad to advance intelligence-collection and terrorist activities in Israel."
"The acts attributed to Perl in the indictment are of particular severity, as while the State of Israel is at war on multiple fronts, an Israeli citizen acted on behalf of the enemy from abroad and subsequently from within Israel — all motivated by ideological reasons and his opposition to Zionism."