Israel arrests seven people, including minors, for spying for Iran and damaging security of the state
Israeli authorities have arrested seven people, including two minors, on suspicion of spying for Iran — in what officials have described as one of the most serious security breaches ever seen by the Jewish state.The Shin Bet intelligence agency said the spies were busted on Monday in what has been characterized as one the most egregious attempts by Tehran to gather information on Israel’s military bases and ports.“The assessment is that the activity of the members of the ring has caused security damage to the security of the state,” a senior source with the Shin Bet security service said.“As part of the investigation, many materials seized were collected by the members of the ring and handed over to the Iranian agents,” the source added.The suspects had allegedly been tasked by Iran’s intelligence service to carry out hundreds of missions across Israel, including tasks targeting the Hadera power plant and Iron Dome missile defense system.In exchange for betraying their country, the alleged spies were given hundreds of thousands of dollars, part of which was paid through cryptocurrency.
Police officials said the seven suspects acted out of greed and ultimately “hurt the state of Israel and its citizens.” The spying comes as highly classified US intelligence documents showing Israeli military preparations for a looming strike on Iran were leaked online.The documents, dated October 15 and 16, outline Israeli air force exercises involving air-to-surface missiles.The leak has not been tied to the spy ring.The military exercises include at least 16 airborne missiles, 40 advanced “Rocks” missiles and refueling tankers, suggesting the attack will be aimed at targets across Iran, The Times of London reported, citing alleged images and documents from the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.
The satellite images, leaked by pro-Iranian groups on social media, show the scale of Israel’s preparations to hit Iran in retaliation for Tehran’s Oct....