An Israeli man was indicted Sunday on charges of spying for Iranian intelligence operatives, in the latest in a series of espionage cases tied to Iran since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Yosef Ein Eli, 23, of Tiberias, is accused of providing sensitive information to enemy agents in exchange for money. He was arrested in September following a joint investigation by the Shin Bet intelligence agency and the Lahav 433 serious crimes unit of the police.
According to the indictment, filed in the Be’er Sheva District Court, Ein Eli worked at a hotel near the Dead Sea and supplied details about hotels and other tourist areas in southern Israel. In return, he allegedly received approximately 10,000 shekels (about $3,100).
The charges include contacting a foreign agent and performing tasks on behalf of Iranian intelligence. Prosecutors allege that Ein Eli began cooperating with Iranian operatives in late 2024 and was assigned a series of additional missions — most of which were not carried out.
Among the tasks he was asked to perform: collecting intelligence on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, forming an Israeli-based network of operatives, throwing a grenade at a private residence, passing information about criminal organizations and crime families, handing over identifying details of IDF soldiers, setting vehicles on fire and filming inside IDF bases.
The Shin Bet and police issued a statement warning Israelis against any contact with agents from enemy states or unidentified foreign actors, particularly when financial incentives are involved. “Israel’s security forces will continue to act decisively against citizens who cooperate with hostile elements,” the statement said.
Ein Eli’s case is the latest in a growing list of Iranian-linked espionage plots uncovered during and after Israel’s war against Hamas. During the 12-day war against Iran in June, several Israeli citizens were found to be acting on behalf of Iranian interests.
Last month, another indictment was filed against Maor Kringel, an IDF reservist accused of gathering intelligence for Iran, including videos of military bases. Kringel was allegedly offered 100,000 shekels to assassinate his commanding officer — a mission he ultimately did not carry out.