Jerusalem, 3 June, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli security services have thwarted an Iranian-backed attempt to recruit Israelis for terrorist activity, officials said Tuesday following the arrest of an eastern Jerusalem resident accused of carrying out missions for Iranian intelligence.
The operation, jointly conducted by the Israeli Police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) uncovered a plot involving a man in his 30s from the Isawiya neighborhood. According to the investigation, the suspect had been in contact with Iranian operatives and had already begun carrying out assignments for them across Jerusalem.
“The suspect was instructed to carry out various activities in Jerusalem, while being aware that he was dealing with a hostile entity interested in harming the security of the state,” the Shin Bet and police said in a joint statement. Among the missions he allegedly undertook were hanging signs, photographing strategic sites including the Western Wall and Mahane Yehuda Market, and burning Israeli military uniforms.
Authorities say the suspect received thousands of shekels for his activities and was tasked with planning a terrorist attack in central Israel intended to kill Jews, setting fire to a forest, and transferring weapons into Judea and Samaria. The suspect was arrested before he could finish carrying out these tasks.
During a search of his home, police found items believed to be connected to the case, including money he was paid for his missions, a spray paint can, two airsoft guns, and a substance suspected to be a drug.
The suspect also allegedly attempted to recruit his family to aid in the operations. “He even recommended recruiting his mother in exchange for thousands of shekels,” the statement said.
The Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office intends to file a formal indictment in the coming days.
“This combined investigation once again illustrates Iran’s efforts to recruit Israeli residents and citizens, including residents of eastern Jerusalem, to carry out terrorist activities within the territory of the State of Israel,” the statement said.
