A 22-year-old student in Israel has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran. The student, who is studying information systems at Ben Gurion University in Beersheba, is from Deir al-Asad, an Arab village in northern Israel.
According to a joint statement released on Thursday by Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security service and the police, the young man had been in contact with an Iranian agent for several months. Authorities allege that he committed several “security-related offences” under the agent’s direction, and in return, received payment.
Among the alleged actions was an attempt to harm a person, spreading nails on a busy road in Beersheba, and promoting divisive social messages. The student reportedly claimed that his actions were motivated by his support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
His arrest took place in June, and officials have stated that he will be formally charged. However, it remains unclear whether his arrest occurred before or during the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.
This incident adds to a growing number of reported cases where individuals in Israel have been arrested on suspicion of espionage for Iran in recent years.
