Israel arrests another citizen recruited by Iran
This is the 15th similar case revealed in recent months as the Israeli security establishment warns citizens against cyber efforts by Iran
The Shin Bet security agency and Israel police announced on Thursday that Daniel Kitov, a 26-year-old man from Petah Tikva, had been arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Iran.
According to the details revealed by the authorities, Kitov carried out several missions, including acts of vandalism such as graffiti in the cities of Petah Tikva and Rosh HaAyin nearby in central Israel.
The investigators accused him of being in contact with an Iranian official for several months. Among the most significant tasks assigned to him was to photograph the house of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, as well as military bases. He was also reportedly asked if he knew any pilots from the Israeli air force.
It emerged during the investigation that Kitov had offered, on his own initiative, to photograph former defense minister Benny Gantz's house, although this task was not carried out.
The Israeli would have received a total of $7,000 for these various missions. He was arrested while he was spraying graffiti with a message hostile to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Thursday morning, an indictment against Kitov was filed in the Lod District Court. Kitov will be tried for contact with the enemy during wartime. The Shin Bet and police also warned against ongoing recruitment attempts by terrorist elements, particularly through social media. The authorities are urging the public to be wary of any suspicious contact and to immediately report any dubious interaction with foreign agents.
This arrest comes in a worrying context, as at least 14 similar espionage cases have been uncovered in the past year in Israel, involving Israeli citizens working for Iranian intelligence services. In October 2024, seven Israelis of Azerbaijani origin were arrested after completing between 600 and 700 espionage missions for Iran, over a two-year period. They had transmitted sensitive information, including on military bases, energy infrastructure, and missile launch sites, in exchange for payment in cryptocurrencies.