Israel has been grappling in recent years with a surge in Iranian attempts to recruit Israeli citizens for espionage and sabotage missions through social networks. Dozens of indictments have already been filed against suspects from various sectors, including soldiers, ultra-Orthodox Jews, new immigrants, and Arabs. Now the extraordinary efforts by the security establishment to stem the phenomenon are being revealed—through rabbis and social media influencers.
3+In recent months, the security establishment has identified an expansion of Iranian intelligence efforts to recruit Israeli citizens online. According to an extensive report published in The New York Times, one of the unusual steps authorities took was reaching out to senior rabbis in the ultra-Orthodox sector, asking them to warn the public against approaches by Iranian agents.
One of the most prominent is Rabbi Yigal Cohen, a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council with wide influence on social media. In a video he posted, the rabbi called on the public not to respond to offers coming from Iranian elements, emphasizing that this constitutes serious treason that will lead to prison sentences and the destruction of those involved. According to him, the request to publish the warning came after security officials updated him that Iran is recruiting Israelis for espionage purposes.
3+The Iranian method of operation typically begins with simple tasks for money, such as photographing buildings or streets. Later, the demands escalate to collecting intelligence on national infrastructure, military bases, defense systems, or other sensitive targets. Most contact is conducted through the Telegram app, under fake identities.
Among the accused are active-duty and reserve IDF soldiers, Jewish and Arab citizens, immigrants from former Soviet Union countries, and at least nine members of the ultra-Orthodox sector. One prominent case involves an American citizen who was studying at a yeshiva in Jerusalem, who was arrested after allegedly photographing sensitive sites for an Iranian handler in exchange for payment. In another case, an IDF soldier was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison after passing documentation of missile interceptions to an Iranian agent during fighting with Iran.
3+One of the most unusual cases involves an ultra-Orthodox computer science student from Beitar Illit. According to the indictment, the young man impersonated an officer in Unit 8200, used artificial intelligence to forge an official military document, and even passed false information to his Iranian handler. Later, with his brother’s help, he gave the agent details of a random Iranian citizen while presenting him as a collaborator with Israel. According to police, the brothers received about 100,000 shekels in cryptocurrency.
The brothers’ defense attorney argued that while contact with an Iranian agent did occur, they didn’t actually help Iran but rather deceived it and passed false information in exchange for money. Police, however, emphasize that the very existence of contact with a hostile entity constitutes a serious security offense, and that even spreading false information could have led to regional escalation.
3+Alongside enforcement activity, Israel is also running an extensive public awareness campaign. Rabbis, media figures, and ultra-Orthodox influencers have been called upon to publish warnings to the public against approaches from Iranian elements. The security establishment believes that raising awareness is one of the main tools for reducing the phenomenon, even though attempts by Iran continue on an ongoing basis.