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Israel Arrests Two Air Force Personnel on Alleged Iranian Espionage Links
Israeli authorities have investigated more than 20 cases involving 40 to 50 suspects over the past year and a half, with most remaining in custody. Capt. Sefi Berger detailed Iranian recruitment tactics ranging from social media infiltration to blackmail. Former handlers described the scale as unprecedented.
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Two Israeli Air Force personnel were arrested on allegations of espionage, the latest in a surge of cases tied to Iranian recruitment efforts inside Israel. Over the past year and a half, Israeli police and Shin Bet have investigated more than 20 cases involving an estimated 40 to 50 suspects. Most of the 40 to 50 suspects remain in custody.
Capt. Sefi Berger of the Israel Police’s Lahav International and Major Crimes Unit, which investigates Iranian espionage cases, said Tehran primarily seeks intelligence that could aid attack planning, along with information on high-profile individuals and other sensitive targets. Payments to recruits vary widely.
One network of seven suspects reportedly received about $300,000. An Iron Dome reservist was allegedly paid $1,000, and in some cases payments are even less than $1,000. "People may think they will get rich, but the money is not life-changing," Berger said.
Iranian recruitment tactics include infiltrating WhatsApp and Facebook groups used by Israelis seeking freelance work. Iranian agents allegedly use compromising material on pornography websites to blackmail individuals into cooperating. Recruitment also relies on emotional manipulation of individuals whose moral judgment may be compromised.
"When recruiting a person, a relationship can develop between the handler and the spy. Sometimes the asset is looking for a father figure or a friend — someone who listens without judgment," Berger said. Former Shin Bet handler Gonen Ben Itzhak, who spent years recruiting sources within Palestinian society, said he has not previously seen so many attempts — and some successful cases — of spying against Israel.
