Israeli authorities issued a warning to the public on Thursday against cooperating with Iranian handlers, as the country was facing armed conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Attempts by the Iranian intelligence agencies to recruit Israelis for spying missions have intensified over the past year, and in particular, since “Operation Rising Lion” in June 2025, the Israel Police and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) said in a joint statement.
Iranian operatives seek to gather intelligence on strategic targets, the locations of certain individuals and critical infrastructure, according to the statement.
These attempts are ongoing. The police warned that Israeli security forces are working to detain Israeli citizens suspected of maintaining contact with Iranian intelligence operatives.
Since the 12-day war last June, the police and the ISA have exposed 16 Iranian-related espionage cases, resulting in serious indictments against the suspects.
The statement further emphasized that “such actions constitute serious security offenses carrying significant prison sentences. The Israel Police and the ISA, together with other law-enforcement authorities, will continue to act to the full extent of the law against anyone who comes into contact with Iranian elements during routine times—and certainly during wartime.”
If any suspicion arises regarding recruitment attempts of this kind, it should be reported immediately to security authorities and the Israel Police, the statement noted.
Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered legal proceedings to begin to revoke the citizenship of Israelis convicted of spying for Iran during the war, in what officials describe as an unprecedented move that will apply to all Israeli citizens.
The directive, issued with the backing of Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, instructs law-enforcement authorities to pursue citizenship revocation once legal proceedings are complete and a final, binding conviction has been handed down for serious espionage offenses carried out on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
