Another severe security affair revealed on Monday personifies the endless efforts by Iranian intelligence to enlist operatives in Israel.
Following a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and the Jerusalem District Central Unit, a prosecutor's declaration of intent will be submitted on Monday against a 21-year-old resident of Jerusalem suspected of committing severe security offenses of having contact with and spying for Iran.
The investigation found that in 2025, the suspect made contact with an Iranian intelligence official via social media.
Although the handler's identity was unclear to him, the man chose to continue contact and even carry out a series of tasks.
According to the investigation's findings, the suspect was not content with merely transmitting verbal information. He carried out tasks that included gathering information and taking visual documentation (photography) of various strategic areas throughout the country.
To improve the quality of the information being transmitted to Tehran, the suspect purchased photography equipment and advanced technology, all with full knowledge that he was acting on behalf of a hostile entity.
In exchange for his "services," the young man received large sums of money. To try to hide transactions, the payments were transferred to him using cryptocurrency, a method that has become very common among Iranian recruitment mechanisms in recent times.
The Israel Police and the Shin Bet emphasized that this reflects a consistent method used by the Iranian adversary, which seeks to target young Israelis through social media and lure them with financial incentives to carry out missions that harm state security.
In a joint statement, the Shin Bet and Israel Police said: “We reiterate our warning to the public against maintaining contact with foreign actors whose identity is unknown and against carrying out tasks on their behalf. We will continue to act decisively, in cooperation with all security agencies, to locate, thwart, and bring to justice those involved."