Israeli police have arrested a citizen suspected of being recruited by Iranian intelligence to assassinate high-profile Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The arrest was announced in a joint statement by the police on Thursday.
The statement revealed that the suspect, who was smuggled into Iran twice and received payments for his activities, was tasked with planning attacks on high-ranking officials such as Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
The individual, a businessman with previous ties to Turkiye, was introduced to Iranian contacts and an Iranian businessman named Eddie during a visit to Iran in May 2024. He encountered difficulties leaving Iran and met with an Iranian security operative called Hajjah.
Investigations show that the suspect was involved in several missions, including gathering information, transferring money or weapons, and threatening others.
The arrest comes during heightened tensions following recent attacks in Lebanon attributed to Hezbollah, and allegations that the suspect’s activities were in retaliation for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The Israeli authorities have not confirmed their involvement in Haniyeh’s death.