A joint Israel Police and Shin Bet operation led to the October 2025 arrest of a 21-year-old resident of Beersheba for actions related to working with Iranian agents, the agencies announced on Thursday in a joint statement.
Rafael Rueveni, 21, was arrested following an investigation that revealed that the suspect was in touch with Iranian agents in recent weeks and had even carried out various security-related missions at their instruction. According to the statement, the suspect was aware he was operating under the direction of Iranian agents and that his actions could harm state security.
Among the actions he took were taking photos in his city, Beersheba, allegedly retrieving a SIM card from a designated spot, and leaving a phone and a pack of cigarettes for the agents he was working with.
Further investigation revealed that his recruitment required verifying that a gun was in a specific hiding spot, and later moving it at the request of his handlers.
Beersheba resident arrested for spying for Iran
He received financial compensation virtually, the statement said.
His indictment was filed on Thursday in the Beersheba District Court.
This case is yet another in a growing list of recent incidents demonstrating repeated attempts by terror groups to recruit citizens of Israel to carry out security-harming tasks against the state.