Case exposes Tehran’s hostile recruitment tactics as Israeli investigators probe possible security breach inside police unit”
The Department of Internal Police Investigations announced Wednesday that a police officer serving in the elite Lahav 433 unit was questioned under caution over serious suspicions of contact with an Iranian foreign agent.
The officer was detained Tuesday for intensive questioning and released after several hours to house arrest under strict conditions.
The case reportedly began when the officer received a Telegram message offering what appeared to be an attractive job opportunity. He then entered into ongoing communication with the person behind the message. During questioning, the officer claimed he did not initially realize he was being targeted in a sophisticated Iranian intelligence recruitment attempt and believed the contact was linked to a legitimate business offer.
Suspicion reportedly grew when the Telegram contact asked him to go into the field and film various sites across Israel. At that point, the officer said he understood he may be dealing with a hostile entity acting on Iran’s behalf.
According to the account, the officer then approached his commanders at Lahav 433 and reported the incident. He was instructed to cut off contact and stop all communication immediately.
Internal Affairs officials noted that the incident itself occurred around six months ago, but the decision to question the officer under caution was made only now. Investigators are examining whether his version is accurate and whether any security laws were violated.
The case remains under sensitive investigation and highlights Iran’s continuing efforts to exploit digital platforms to recruit Israelis and gather intelligence.
