Shin Bet says another Israeli has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran

Yet another Israeli citizen was arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran, say police and Shin Bet spokespeople in a joint statement today.

Prosecutors plan to indict Petah Tikvah resident Daniel Kitov this morning in the Lod District Court on the charge of contacting a foreign agent.

Security forces arrested the 26-year-old earlier this month for allegedly spray-painting several areas in Petah Tikvah and Rosh HaAyin at the behest of an Iranian handler. Police say Kitov carried out these acts of vandalism for money.

The Iranian agent also asked Kitov to photograph military bases and the home of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, however he never acted on these suggestions. Kitov himself offered to photograph the home of MK Benny Gantz, but did not follow through with this either.

Police note that Iranian agents have ramped up their efforts on social media platforms to recruit ordinary Israeli citizens as spies, promising them money to carry out missions. In most of these cases, the suspects began by carrying out small, innocuous tasks, which gradually grew into more serious offenses, like intelligence gathering and assassination plots.

Last December, the police arrested nearly 30 Israelis, mostly Jewish citizens, for espionage activities on behalf of Iran.