Shabak Warns of Iran's Efforts to Recruit Israelis on Social Media

Shabak, Israel's internal security agency, issued a warning to Israeli citizens after releasing a list of fake usernames created by the Iranian intelligence apparatus. The agency stated that Iranian intelligence has increased its social media activities in recent months to attract Israeli citizens with the aim of harming the security of the country. In a statement published by Israeli media on Thursday, August 9, Shabak noted that Iranian intelligence has been encouraging Israeli citizens to engage in actions that could jeopardize Israel's security. The list of fake accounts included Telegram groups with cover names such as 'People's Army,' 'Persecuted Workers - Haifa Branch,' and 'Jerusalem and Surroundings Working Group.' According to the internal security agency's statement, advertisements have been identified in Telegram groups and channels, where Iranian intelligence has posed as recruiters for 'exciting and attractive jobs' with promises of high salaries. One Telegram account named 'VIP Recruitment' openly stated in Hebrew: 'Iranian intelligence is looking for partners interested in interesting and exciting work, and those who are recruited will receive especially high salaries.' In the 'People's Army' Telegram channel, it is written in Hebrew: 'We (Israel) have the best land, a holy land - let’s save it from incapable people like Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu). We ask engineers, doctors, soldiers, and all of you to join us before it’s too late.' Those who responded to the requests were asked to provide their personal details via a link. According to Maariv, 'a significant number' of Israeli citizens refrained from responding to these requests and reported the suspicious activity to security officials. The internal security agency emphasized that transferring personal information of Israeli citizens to Iranian security forces could jeopardize their safety, both in Israel and abroad. Shabak announced that the activities of Iranian intelligence agencies aim to conduct influence operations, undermine national morale, and exacerbate divisions within society, and Israeli internal security agencies will continue to identify these activities. Three years ago, Israel prosecuted four of its citizens and the husband of one of them, who were born in Iran and were in contact through social media with an individual under the cover name 'Rambod Namdar,' on suspicion of espionage. The indictment against these suspects stated that 'Rambod Namdar' is a name used by Iranian intelligence, and all of his activities in contact with Israeli citizens were monitored by Israeli intelligence agencies. A few weeks ago, Israel also brought to trial a 20-year-old Haredi man from Beit Shemesh for his connection with an Iranian intelligence asset operating under the cover name 'Ana' from the UK. Kan Radio reported this week that the Haredi suspect had recently become familiar with mobile phones but realized that some of the actions he had taken, such as attempting to set a forest on fire and hiding an animal's head near the homes of individuals that 'Ana' had requested, were likely missions from Iran, but he was 'afraid to report to the police.' These actions by Iranian intelligence agencies occur while, based on available evidence, Israel has managed to penetrate the most important military and intelligence institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Actions attributed to Israel, such as the abduction of key nuclear documents from Iran, the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, known as the 'father of Iran's nuclear program,' multiple attacks on Iran's most important military and nuclear sites, and recently the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's political bureau, at the official residence of senior Iranian security guests just hours after he participated in the inauguration ceremony of the new president, have strengthened suspicions of strong Israeli infiltration into Iranian security institutions. Former senior officials in Iran, such as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ali Younesi, have acknowledged the extensive infiltration of Israel into Iranian security institutions.