State prosecutors were set to file an indictment Monday against two young Israelis from central Israel accused of acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence, in what security authorities described as the latest in a series of cases involving alleged online recruitment efforts targeting Israeli citizens.
In a joint statement, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the police’s Central District major crimes unit said Sagi Hayek, 19, of Ness Ziona, was arrested in March on suspicion of maintaining contact for months with an Iranian foreign agent and carrying out tasks at his direction.
During that period, authorities said, Hayek exposed identifying details about himself and his family, agreed to undergo training in an Arab country, and was also asked to recruit additional people for future assignments. Even after his family allegedly received direct threats from the Iranian handler, he remained in contact, according to the statement.
Authorities said the investigation also led to the arrest of Asaf Shitrit, 21, of Beit Oved, after Hayek allegedly admitted enlisting his help in carrying out one of the tasks for the foreign agent. The indictment was expected to be filed in the Central District Court in Lod.
Iran increasing use of social media as recruitment platform
The arrest is the latest in a growing list of cases in which Israeli authorities say Iranian handlers used social media and messaging platforms to make contact with Israelis, offer payment, and assign tasks that in some instances escalated over time.
In March, prosecutors filed an indictment against a 14-year-old from central Israel accused of carrying out paid assignments for hostile actors he believed were tied to Iran, including spray-painting graffiti, filming near Ichilov Hospital, documenting neighborhoods in Ramat Gan, and recording the Tel Aviv skyline while describing the Kirya area. According to the indictment, he was recruited through Telegram and paid in cryptocurrency.
Just weeks later, investigators alleged in a separate case that another suspect carried out documentation and equipment-purchasing tasks for a hostile actor in exchange for cryptocurrency. According to investigators, that case also raised suspicion that the activity may have extended to the production and testing of explosive material.
Other recent cases have followed a similar path. In one case, a Rishon Lezion man was accused of filming the street outside former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s home after initially being drawn in through paid online “projects.” In another case, a woman from Nazareth was accused of carrying out intelligence-gathering and filming assignments after being approached on Telegram with what were initially presented as routine paid jobs. Additional convictions in recent months have likewise involved Israelis who, according to the charges, remained in contact with foreign agents despite mounting warning signs.
In its annual report published in February, the Shin Bet said 25 Israelis and foreign residents were indicted in 2025 for spying for Iran, while 120 separate Iranian espionage incidents were thwarted that year. The agency said at the time that attempts to recruit Israelis rose by 400% in 2025 compared with 2024.
As in previous cases, the security establishment used Monday’s announcement to reiterate its warning that hostile intelligence and terror actors continue trying to recruit Israelis through social networks and other online channels, including during wartime, and said those involved would face severe prosecution.