Published on 6/30/2026
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Last update: 22:21 (Mecca time)
Israeli media reported on Tuesday that an American citizen was arrested in Israel weeks ago, on charges of spying for Iran and photographing sensitive areas in exchange for money.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted an Israeli police statement as saying that the security services arrested an American citizen residing in Israel at the beginning of this month, on suspicion of spying for Iran.
The statement stated that the 20-year-old young man is under investigation on suspicion of communicating with a foreign agent and endangering state security, without revealing his identity.
The newspaper reported, citing details of the investigation, that the young man carried out various tasks for Iranian intelligence agencies, which included “documenting and photographing sensitive sites.”
According to the investigation, the suspect received sums of money ranging from tens to hundreds of dollars in exchange for carrying out each task.
The police said that they detained the man on June 9, in cooperation with the Israeli internal intelligence service, Shin Bet, after reports from international security services. The foreign intelligence agencies involved were not disclosed.
Not the first time
The newspaper quoted Israeli police investigations officer Amichai Benta as saying: “During recent months, a number of those accused of spying for the enemy were revealed, and some of them carried out these acts during the war, and thus helped the enemy implement its plans inside Israeli territory.”
He added: “We will continue, in cooperation with the Shin Bet, to monitor and detect such crimes, arrest and bring to justice anyone who harms or exposes the security of the state and citizens to danger.”
Over the past two years, Israel announced the arrest of a number of its citizens, including soldiers, on suspicion of spying for Iran in exchange for sums of money, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
On February 28, a war broke out between Israel and the United States on the one hand, and Iran on the other, before a temporary ceasefire was announced on April 8, and then a “memorandum of understanding” was signed between Washington and Tehran on June 17.
During the war, Iran launched missiles and drones targeting large areas inside Israel, and a number of them landed on vital targets, amid a media blackout and strict censorship imposed by the Israeli authorities on publishing the extent of the losses.
