The Israeli police and Shin Bet, in a joint statement released on Thursday, announced the arrest of an Israeli citizen who was allegedly recruited by Iranian intelligence to orchestrate the assassinations of high-ranking Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The statement revealed that the individual was “smuggled twice into Iran and received payment for carrying out missions.”
According to the police, the intended targets of the assassination plots included not only Prime Minister Netanyahu but also defence minister Yoav Gallant, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and other prominent officials.
The arrested individual, described as “a businessman who lived in Turkey for an extended period,” reportedly maintained connections with both Turkish and Iranian individuals.
Israeli media sources have indicated that the arrested man is a Jewish person hailing from the city of Ashkelon. The police said that during his time in Iran, he was tasked with carrying out various security missions within Israel, such as “transferring ‘money or a gun’ and threatening other Israelis recruited by Iran.”
Subsequently, he was allegedly instructed to plan assassinations.
A senior Shin Bet official emphasised the gravity of the situation, saying, “This is a very serious case that exemplifies the enormous efforts of Iranian intelligence agents to recruit Israeli citizens to promote terrorist activities in Israel.”
The statement revealed that the individual was “smuggled twice into Iran and received payment for carrying out missions.”
According to the police, the intended targets of the assassination plots included not only Prime Minister Netanyahu but also defence minister Yoav Gallant, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and other prominent officials.
The arrested individual, described as “a businessman who lived in Turkey for an extended period,” reportedly maintained connections with both Turkish and Iranian individuals.
Israeli media sources have indicated that the arrested man is a Jewish person hailing from the city of Ashkelon. The police said that during his time in Iran, he was tasked with carrying out various security missions within Israel, such as “transferring ‘money or a gun’ and threatening other Israelis recruited by Iran.”
Subsequently, he was allegedly instructed to plan assassinations.
A senior Shin Bet official emphasised the gravity of the situation, saying, “This is a very serious case that exemplifies the enormous efforts of Iranian intelligence agents to recruit Israeli citizens to promote terrorist activities in Israel.”