Israeli minors accused of carrying out paid missions for Iranian agent
The investigation began after one of the suspects was detained at Ben Gurion Airport on suspicion of contacting a foreign agent and committing espionage offenses
Israeli police said Sunday that two teenagers from the Haifa and Krayot area are suspected of completing assignments for an Iranian intelligence operative, including photographing sensitive locations and attempting to recruit other minors.
The investigation began after one of the suspects was detained at Ben Gurion Airport on suspicion of contacting a foreign agent and committing espionage offenses. Authorities said the teenager first encountered the alleged operative while searching online for work.
According to investigators, the agent built the relationship gradually. The teenager was initially given apparently harmless assignments, such as distributing flyers, before being asked to provide photographs confirming his identity.
Police allege that the assignments later became more serious. The first suspect recruited another minor, and the two were instructed to spray anti-government graffiti, document strategic locations in central Israel and enlist additional teenagers. They allegedly received several thousand shekels for their work.
In one voice message cited by police, a suspect asked a friend to add teenagers to a Telegram group, specifically seeking participants who were unconcerned about “getting caught” if future assignments involved greater risk.
The foreign contact also allegedly requested the location of one teenager while he was in Herzliya and directed him to film the Seven Stars Mall and businesses inside it. Police said the teenager sent the footage and received approximately $160.
Investigators said the teenager later erased the videos because he feared they might be used to plan an attack. Despite those concerns, he allegedly remained in contact with the operative and continued accepting assignments. When asked directly about his identity, the handler reportedly said he was “connected to Iran.”
The case was investigated by the Asher District’s central unit with assistance from Lahav 433, the Barak unit and Israeli security agencies.
Prosecutors are pursuing serious charges against both minors. Lawyers Sagiv Blumenfeld and Amir Bartal, who represent one of the defendants, said their client is approximately 15 years old and denied that he intended to harm national security.
“Everything else will become clear at the appropriate time in court,” the attorneys said.