Israel charges one, detains two, for Iran intelligence links

Israeli authorities on Tuesday charged one Israeli and detained two others for spying for Iran, the Shin Bet security service said.

The agency said Iran has sought in recent months to recruit Israelis to carry out missions in the country and that the person charged had been asked, but refused, to carry out a murder and set fire to a forest.

"Shin Bet and the police international inquiries unit have arrested three Israeli citizens suspected of carrying out security activities under the direction of Iranian intelligence agents," the agency said in a statement.

"One of them has been charged with contact with a foreign agent," it added.

The suspect charged was approached on the Telegram channel by someone with the profile "Anna Elena" and carried out "missions" for the agent, the statement said.

It added that proposals to carry out a murder and arson in a forest were rejected.

Shin Bet said contacting Israelis on social media with an assumed profile was as "widely-used method of the Iranian intelligence services".

"In recent months, several fictitious profiles used by Iranian security services have been found and monitored, and a lot of information collected," the Israeli agency said.

Iran is a supporter of Hamas and continues to support the Palestinian group after the 7 October surprise attack, though it has repeatedly denied any involvement.

In April, Iran fired some 350 drones and missiles into Israeli territory, most of which were intercepted by Israel, with the help of the United States and surrounding Arab countries.

That attack came in response to a strike by Israel that targeted the Iranian consular building in Damascus and killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals.