Israeli ambulance driver charged with Iran espionage, allegedly spied on Herzog, Smotrich during hospital visit

An ambulance driver from the Galilee has been charged this morning with espionage for Iran, which included spying on President Isaac Herzog and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich during a visit to a northern hospital.

He also documented the town in which former defense minister Yoav Gallant resides, but is not known to have reached the politician’s home.

Amir Hisham Mohammad Titi, a 34-year-old man from the Arab village of Bi’ina, was arrested last month and indicted today in the Haifa District Court, police announce.

He is accused of exploiting his access to medical centers across Israel to pass sensitive intelligence to his Iranian handler, including information about hospitals’ preparedness in emergency situations.

During a visit by Herzog and Smotrich to Nahariya’s Galilee Medical Center, the accused allegedly reached out on his own initiative to his handler, notifying him of their appearance at the hospital.

He sent a photo of Herzog and his entourage to the Iranian agent, prosecutors say.

The alleged espionage went beyond Titi’s work as an ambulance driver, and the defendant was also sent to protest locations, including Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square and the site of a demonstration in Haifa.

The accused also traveled to Amikam, the moshav where former defense minister Yoav Gallant resides, and documented the houses, the streets and a clinic in the area, prosecutors say.

According to the indictment, Titi received tens of thousands of shekels in exchange for the espionage, transferred to him in cryptocurrency.