Israel Warns Citizens: Don’t become Iranian Spy

Tel Aviv: Israel has issued a stern warning to its citizens, stating that anyone caught spying for Iran could face up to 15 years in prison. 

Israel has initiated a nationwide campaign alerting citizens to Iranian espionage efforts. The campaign, titled "Easy Money, Heavy Price," is being disseminated across radio broadcasts, social media platforms and government websites. This follows security services uncovering more than 25 Iranian recruitment attempts in the past year, resulting in over 35 indictments for national security offences, according to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).  The campaign coincides with Tehran's allegations that a French-Israeli woman spied for Mossad, enabling precise Israeli strikes on high-value Iranian targets, including at a meeting attended by President Masoud Pezeshkian.  

Israel claim that Iran is targeting ordinary Israelis through online approaches, offering payments as low as 5,000 shekels ($1,490) for seemingly innocuous tasks like photographing sensitive locations, which can escalate into serious espionage activities. Those convicted face prison sentences of up to 15 years.  

The initiative reflects Israel's concern about Iran's strategic shift from direct military confrontation to psychological and digital operations targeting civilians or even desperation.

The security campaign follows a 12-day conflict in June during which Israel conducted coordinated strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, reportedly killing 606 people according to Iranian health officials. Among the targets was a high-level security council meeting where President Pezeshkian sustained minor injuries in an missile attack.  

Iran accused an internal spy network of facilitating the precision strikes, naming Catherine Perez-Shakdam, a French-Israeli journalist who had contributed to Iranian state media outlets including the Supreme Leader's official website and conducted interviews with senior officials including former President Ebrahim Raisi.  

Reports suggest Shakdam, a convert to Shia Islam, allegedly gathered intelligence within Iranian elite circles for nearly a decade. The scandal intensified when former Iranian parliamentarian Mostafa Kavakebian publicly claimed Shakdam had slept with 120 senior officials to get the secrets, allegations dismissed by Tehran's prosecutor as unfounded.  

Analysis: Intelligence War Intensifies

The Israeli public awareness campaign highlights the evolving nature of hostilities between the regional rivals, with traditional warfare increasingly supplemented by sophisticated intelligence operations and psychological campaigns targeting civilian populations.  

With both nations implementing internal security measures while maintaining public declarations of strength, prospects for de-escalation appear limited in the immediate future.