According to a joint statement from the Shin Bet and police spokesperson, the suspect was smuggled twice into Iran via Turkey, where he met with Iranian intelligence officials. During these meetings, he was asked to carry out assassination attacks against senior Israeli figures, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar.
The investigation revealed that the Iranians also asked the suspect to consider assassinating other individuals, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, allegedly as revenge for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran in July 2024, an event attributed to Israel.
In addition to the assassinations, the suspect was tasked with other missions, such as transferring money, photographing crowded places, and threatening other Israeli citizens recruited by Iran. The suspect demanded an advance of one million dollars before carrying out any actions, but in reality, he only received 5,000 euros.
A senior Shin Bet official described the case as “extremely serious,” emphasizing that it demonstrates Iran’s ongoing efforts to recruit Israelis for terrorist activities. “While the State of Israel is at war on several fronts, an Israeli citizen travels to an enemy state on two separate occasions, meets with Iranian intelligence agents, and expresses willingness to carry out serious terrorist acts on Israeli soil,” the official said.
The Shin Bet stressed that cooperation with Iranian agents by Israelis, even if motivated by business or criminal interests, constitutes a severe security offense, particularly during times of war. The organization, along with the Israeli Police and other security bodies, continues its efforts to identify and thwart Iranian activities of this nature.
A serious indictment was filed against the suspect on September 19, 2024. Authorities are calling on the public to remain vigilant and report any recruitment attempts or suspicious approaches by foreign agents.
