The mayor of Bat Yam, a coastal city south of Tel Aviv, posted an unusual public warning on Monday, saying authorities are aware of local residents who have been in contact with Iranian operatives and urging them to come forward before causing “irreversible” harm.
In a video posted on his Facebook page, Mayor Zvika Brot said security agencies — primarily the Shin Bet internal security service — have alerted him to suspected attempts by Iranian intelligence to recruit Bat Yam residents through online messages. “The Iranians have reached Bat Yam, and this is not a joke,” Brot said. “We are working with security officials about the possibility that our residents may fall into the Iranian intelligence trap.”
Brot said Israelis elsewhere had already been targeted with offers of “easy money” in exchange for seemingly harmless acts such as photographing buildings or passing along publicly available information — steps that, in several cases, escalated into more serious tasks such as transporting packages. “We know there are Bat Yam residents who are currently in contact with them,” he said. “These are very serious offenses, and anyone arrested will cause themselves irreversible damage.”
The mayor urged anyone who has communicated with suspected Iranian handlers — “whether you, a family member or a friend” — to immediately reach out to city authorities or school officials. “Don’t wait until someone knocks on your door,” he said. “It is probably not too late to contact us, and together with security agencies, we can try to turn back the clock.”
Brot said the number of residents potentially involved was “several dozen,” adding, “It could be your child, your father or your best friend.”
“This is a race against time so they don’t do something irreversible,” he said, stressing that even unintentional assistance to foreign intelligence could harm national security.
The Shin Bet has increased outreach to local governments over the past year amid a rise in Iranian attempts to recruit Israelis online. The agency, together with the National Information Directorate, recently launched a public awareness campaign warning of the risks of responding to such contacts.
Security officials said there is nothing unique about Bat Yam compared with other cities, and that Brot’s decision to publish the warning was likely the result of routine briefings given to many mayors as part of the nationwide effort to raise awareness.