Fri Nov 01 13:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Iranian Spy Ring Targeting Israelis Uncovered, Couple Arrested
**Jerusalem, Israel** – A joint operation by Israel’s security agencies has uncovered a new Iranian intelligence network operating in Israel, leading to the arrest of two Israeli citizens and the indictment of another.
The investigation, led by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), the Israel Police’s Unit of International Crime Investigations (Yahbal), and the Lahav 433 Cyber Unit, revealed that Rafael and Lala Gulayev, both 32, residents of Lod, were recruited by an Iranian agent, Elkhan Agayev, a 56-year-old Azerbaijani national.
The Gulayevs allegedly conducted surveillance on sensitive security sites in Israel, including the Mossad headquarters, at Agayev’s instruction. They also gathered intelligence on an academic at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) who was flagged as a target for Iranian interests. The couple was further instructed to seek out an assassin for the academic.
In a separate case, Asher Binyamin Weiss, a resident of Bnei Brak, was indicted for allegedly following an Israeli nuclear scientist at the direction of Iranian agents. Weiss is accused of receiving instructions to assassinate the scientist. He faces charges of contacting a foreign agent, providing information to the enemy, and obstructing justice.
“These cases add to a series of thwarted attempts exposed in recent weeks during which Israeli citizens operated by Iranian intelligence elements were arrested,” stated a senior Shin Bet official. “The investigations once again reveal the efforts of Iranian intelligence to recruit and exploit Israeli citizens for espionage and terrorist activities in Israel.”
The arrests and indictments underscore the ongoing threat posed by Iranian intelligence activities targeting Israelis. The Israeli security agencies emphasized their commitment to combatting such threats and protecting citizens.
“The Israeli Police, in collaboration with Shin Bet and other security agencies, will continue to operate tirelessly to detect and prevent activities that threaten our citizens,” a senior police official said. “We will take decisive action against those unscrupulous individuals collaborating with hostile entities and endangering public safety.”
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