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The amended indictment, filed by Adv. Roi Reis from the Central District Attorney’s Office, states that the defendant photographed himself with a handgun he held without a license, his finger on the trigger, while looking seriously at the camera.

Subsequently, the defendant published the photo on his Facebook account, writing alongside it: “Bennett=bullet, Bibi=symbol, scribe, and gold medal.” The defendant even set this threatening post as the permanent background image on the said Facebook account.

The defendant did this against the backdrop of media reports at the time, according to which Bennett and his wife received an envelope containing a death threat letter along with a bullet, and security around the then-prime minister was increased as a result.

This affair later matured into criminal proceedings, in which Ilana Sporta was convicted of extortion by threats and sentenced to eighteen months of actual imprisonment.

At the sentencing stage, the Central District Attorney’s Office requested that the defendant be sentenced to a significant penalty of 30 months of actual imprisonment.

The District Court (per Judge Me’irav Greenberg) sentenced the defendant, as stated, to 18 months of actual imprisonment and a suspended sentence, ruling that “…a threat directed at a public figure in relation to their role is not limited to a threat against the private individual to whom it is directed, but rather harms the order of government and the foundations of the regime. Directing a threat at an elected official seeks to influence their actions, impair their judgment, and thereby harm the democratic process, the voting public, and proper administration.”

The District Court further ruled that “the echo of threats and slander against public figures can incentivize others to commit similar offenses and even, God forbid, legitimize, especially for people holding extreme views, to carry out the threats and use actual violence. These matters gain added weight in the present case, as they were not committed in a vacuum but as a direct continuation of other blatant and serious threats against the then-Prime Minister and his family.”

Adv. Roi Reis from the Central District Attorney’s Office stated after the verdict: “The defendant chose to publish a blatant threat against the then-Prime Minister on social media during a sensitive period. A threatening publication, including the display of a weapon and directing a threat of physical harm and even shooting at an elected official, is a serious act, and the court emphasized in its ruling the severity and potential consequences. Accordingly, the court sentenced the defendant to a significant prison term.”

The indictment filed by attorney Omer Segal-Rosenbaum from the Central District Attorney’s Office states that from the end of October 2025 until his arrest, the defendant was in contact with a foreign agent and performed various tasks for him, transferring their results, in exchange for various sums of money via digital wallets on the Binance trading platform.

On the operator’s instructions, the defendant installed a dashcam with a SIM card in his vehicle, enabling remote connection via username and password, and live, real-time video streaming.

On 3.12.25, in the early morning hours, the defendant drove to the street of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s residence, on the operator’s instructions, with the dashcam operating and under the operator’s control. A short time after parking his vehicle near the former Prime Minister’s home, security guards approached him and he fled the scene. The defendant was arrested about a week later.

The indictment further states that the defendant documented streets in Herzliya for hours using a camera installed in his vehicle. On the agent’s instructions, the defendant parked the vehicle, returned home by taxi, and then returned to the vehicle and turned off the camera. He also filmed various locations in Yavne and Petah Tikva. Among other things, the defendant drove, on the agent’s instructions, to the “Kanyon HaZahav” mall in Rishon LeZion and to Ashdod, filmed videos documenting his journey, and sent the videos to the agent in exchange for payment.

On other occasions, the agent instructed the defendant to go to kiosks in various cities across the country, buy cigarettes and drinks for himself, and send the receipts to the agent. According to the indictment, the defendant continued to act on the agent’s instructions despite suspecting he was acting under his direction.

The case was investigated by the General Security Service and the Israel Police.

The prosecution is requesting the court to detain the defendant until the completion of legal proceedings against him. In the arrest request, the Central District Attorney’s Office stated that the defendant transferred videos filmed by him of the former Prime Minister’s street of residence to a foreign agent, in a manner that allowed the street, the houses on it, and the entrance to the house to be identified. The transfer of such information about a senior figure in the State of Israel indicates the significant danger he poses.

As part of a joint operation by investigators from the Serious Crime Unit in the Shfela region, police officers from the Rishon Lezion station, and the General Security Service, Lakachao Damash (30, Rishon Lezion) was arrested during December 2025 on suspicion of committing security offenses under the direction of Iranian elements.

His investigation revealed that in recent months he had been in contact with Iranian intelligence elements and was instructed by them to carry out a variety of tasks for which he received various sums of money.

Damash was arrested after being identified as someone who had photographed near the home of former prime Minister Naftali Bennett. In his interrogation, he admitted that before carrying out the photography, he was asked by his handler to purchase a car camera for the purpose of carrying out the mission, an old mobile phone, and a SIM card, for communication with the handler.

His activation began with simple tasks, such as hiding a cigarette box and taking photographs, and later transferring various photographs to his handlers, which he carried out in his city of residence and in other cities.

According to the assessment, similar to the investigation of Vadim Kuprianov, which was published on 25.12.2025, these are intelligence gathering missions by Iranian elements in order to advance harm to former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

At the end of the investigation, an indictment was filed against Damash

By Pesach Benson • January 5, 2026

Jerusalem, 5 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli authorities have arrested and indicted a Rishon Lezion resident on suspicion of carrying out intelligence-gathering missions for Iranian operatives, including photographing near the home of former prime minister Naftali Bennett, it was cleared for publication on Monday.

According to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the israel police, the suspect, Lachao Damsash, was in contact with Iranian intelligence elements and carried out a range of tasks at their direction in exchange for payment. The money was allegedly transferred through digital wallets on the Binance trading platform. Damash was arrested in December.

The investigation found that Damsash was identified after photographing near Bennett’s residence. Damash later told authorities that his handler had instructed him to purchase a road camera, an old mobile phone, and a SIM card to maintain contact. The camera was installed in his vehicle in a way that allowed remote access and live video transmission using a username and password. After parking near Bennett’s home on December 3, security guards approached Damsash, prompting him to flee the scene. He was arrested about a week later.

Prosecutors allege that the defendant also documented a street in Herzliya for several hours using the car-mounted camera. Additional filming missions were allegedly carried out in Yavne and Petah Tikva. He is also accused of traveling to shopping malls in Rishon Lezion and Ashdod, filming his routes, and sending the footage to his handler for payment.

Other tasks included purchasing cigarettes and drinks at kiosks in various cities and sending receipts to the foreign agent. According to the indictment, Damsash continued to act on the agent’s instructions despite suspecting their nature.

Security officials said the case resembles a previously disclosed investigation involving Vadim Kupriyanov, who was also accused of photographing near Bennett’s home and was later indicted on serious espionage charges.

More than 30 Israelis have been charged with espionage on behalf of Iran in 2025.

Israeli Police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne told The Press Service of Israel in July that after agents make contact with an Israeli, “It starts out slowly, with small jobs, and slowly the money increases, and they are asked to do more severe crimes as time goes on.”

Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on June 13, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached “a point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device. During 12 days of fighting, Iranian missile strikes killed 28 Israelis and injured over 3,000.

By Pesach Benson • December 25, 2025

Jerusalem, 25 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli security forces have arrested a resident of rishon lezion on suspicion of carrying out espionage-related activities at the direction of Iranian intelligence, including surveillance of former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s home, the Shin Bet and Israel Police said on Thursday.

The suspect, Vadim Kupriyanov, an Israeli citizen in his early 40s, was detained in December 2025. Investigators allege that Kupriyanov maintained contact with Iranian intelligence operatives and carried out a series of security-related missions over the past two months in exchange for payment.

According to the statement, Kupriyanov was identified after he photographed areas near the private residence of former prime minister Naftali Bennett. As part of his contact with Iranian handlers, he was also instructed to purchase a vehicle-mounted camera intended to facilitate the surveillance activity.

During his interrogation, authorities said, Kupriyanov admitted to performing multiple photography missions at the request of his operators. He allegedly transferred images taken in his city of residence and in other locations across Israel, receiving various sums of money in return. Security officials did not disclose the total amount he was paid or whether additional targets were involved.

An indictment is scheduled to be filed later on Thursday in the Lod District Court.

More than 30 Israelis have been charged with espionage on behalf of Iran in 2025.

Israeli Police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne told The Press Service of Israel in July that after agents make contact with an Israeli, “It starts out slowly, with small jobs, and slowly the money increases, and they are asked to do more severe crimes as time goes on.”

Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on June 13, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached “a point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device. During 12 days of fighting, Iranian missile strikes killed 28 Israelis and injured over 3,000.