Israeli Citizen Indicted for Gathering Strategic Intelligence for Iran

The Haifa District Prosecutor's Office filed a severe indictment on Sunday against an Israeli citizen suspected of gathering strategic intelligence for Iranian intelligence operatives. Wisam Galeb Saleh Awad, a resident of Mazra'a, was arrested following a joint covert operation by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police.

The investigation was launched last month through a collaboration between the Shin Bet and the Central Unit (YAMAR) of the police's Asher region. Law enforcement forces raided the suspect's home, executing his arrest while seizing mobile phones and computers for forensic examination.

According to the investigation findings, Awad independently initiated contact with Iranian operatives via Telegram to offer his services. Investigators noted that he acted out of an ideological motive for revenge and sympathy for terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, rather than seeking financial compensation.

During his operation, Awad allegedly photographed strategic facilities, military bases, and police stations, transmitting the visual documentation and exact coordinates to his handlers for future use. His detention was extended several times before prosecutors submitted the formal charges to the Magistrate's Court in Haifa alongside a request to hold him until the conclusion of legal proceedings.

"The Israel Police and the Shin Bet view with utmost severity any involvement by Israeli citizens in activities that endanger state security," law enforcement agencies stated jointly. "We will continue to act with determination, zero tolerance, and close cooperation to thwart any entity operating on behalf of Iran and terrorist organizations, and to exhaust the full extent of the law against them."