According to Israel’s official statement, senior officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu, were among the targets that were intended to be hit.
A joint statement from the Israeli police and Shin Bet, one of the main branches of the Israeli intelligence community, was cited by news agency AFP on Thursday regarding the arrest of an Israeli citizen who was allegedly recruited by Iranian intelligence to plot the assassinations of high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iranian intelligence recruited an Israeli citizen to help carry out Israeli figure assassinations. According to the statement, he was paid to carry out missions while being smuggled into Iran twice.
According to the statement, senior officials including Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Netanyahu were among the targets.
These charges come after a string of extraordinary assaults this week in which hundreds of Hezbollah-used pagers and walkie-talkies exploded throughout Lebanon, inflicting over 3,000 injuries and 32 fatalities.
According to the statement, the intended targets included senior officials such as Ronen Bar of Shin Bet, Yoav Gallant, the minister of defense, and Netanyahu.
These charges come after a week of extraordinary attacks in which hundreds of Hezbollah-used pagers and walkie-talkies exploded throughout Lebanon, killing 32 people and injuring over 3,000 more.
Who is the arrested Israeli citizen?
The Israeli national, identified by the police as “a businessman who lived in Turkey for an extended period,” reportedly had contacts in Turkey and Iran who put him in touch with Eddie, an Iranian businessman, over the phone.
The person, who local media has identified as an Ashkelon resident who is Jewish, initially went to Iran in May 2024 in order to meet Eddie, but had trouble getting out of the nation. He also got to know Hajjah, an Iranian security operative, during this visit.
According to the police, he was assigned to carry out a number of security tasks in Israel during this trip, such as sending “money or a gun,” taking pictures of busy public spaces, and posing a threat to other Israelis who Tehran had recruited.
The investigation in August showed that the man who was detained had been smuggled into Iran in a truck. He met with more Iranian intelligence agents while he was in Iran, and they gave him instructions to carry out terrorist acts on Israeli territory, including helping to arrange assassination attacks.
Rise in tensions between Israel and Hezbollah
According to Reuters, Israel bombed southern Lebanon on Thursday, saying it had “thwarted” an assassination plot backed by Iran. This came after Hezbollah radio explosions and booby-trapped pager explosions, which increased tensions and drew the two enemies closer to war.
Hezbollah, an organization supported by Iran, has been using sophisticated attacks on communications equipment, disrupting the country and igniting fears of a possible return to all-out conflict, which was last witnessed eighteen years ago.
Later on Thursday, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, is scheduled to address the nation. Many people will be closely observing to see how the group will respond.
Given the declaration of a “new phase” in the conflict by Israel’s defense minister and the recent explosions in Lebanon linked to an Israeli strike on electronic devices, the possibility of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah is growing.
