Israeli police on Monday said they had arrested a spy network of seven Israeli citizens who were gathering information on Israel's military bases and energy infrastructure for Iranian intelligence.
The internal security agency and police "successfully dismantled a spy network involving seven Israeli citizens who were operating on behalf of Iranian intelligence," the police said in a statement, adding that all seven had been arrested.
The seven Israelis were from the city of Haifa and northern areas of the country. Among them are an Israeli soldier who deserted the military as well as two minors. The adult suspects are identified as Azis Nisanov, Alexander Sadykov, Vyacheslav Gushchin, Yevgeny Yoffe and Yigal Nissan.
"This network was engaged in gathering sensitive information on IDF (military) bases and energy infrastructure," it said.
Israeli investigations had revealed that the group carried out several missions under the direction of two Iranian agents known as "Alkhan and Orkhan" over a period of two years, the police said.
The suspects are accused of photographing and collecting information on Israeli army bases and facilities, including the Kirya defense headquarters in Tel Aviv and the Nevatim and Ramat David air bases, as well as Iron Dome battery sites.
"The network members were aware that the intelligence they provided compromised national security and could potentially aid enemy missile attacks," the police said.
"The network conducted extensive reconnaissance missions on Israeli army bases nationwide, focusing on air force and navy installations, ports, Iron Dome system locations, and energy infrastructure such as the Hadera power plant," the police said.
The suspects are also accused of receiving maps of strategic sites from their handlers, including of the Golani base hit in a deadly drone strike earlier this month.
It added that the group received hundreds of thousands of dollars for the work, often through crypto-currency payments.
The work often involved photographing and documenting strategic sites, with the collected data being handed over to Iranian agents, the police said.
"The investigation led to seizure of substantial materials compiled by the network members for Iranian agents," an official from Israel's internal security agency was quoted as saying in the police statement.
"These included photographs and videos of numerous Israeli bases across Israel, ports, and energy infrastructure.”
"It is assessed that these activities have inflicted security damage on the state."
Members of the group were also tasked with collecting intelligence on several Israeli citizens at the behest of the Iranian agents, it said.
With AFP
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