Israeli soldier sentenced to five years for spying for Iran

An Israeli military court sentenced an active‑duty soldier to a five‑year prison term, suspended, a fine of 1,000 shekels and demotion to private after he was found guilty of espionage for Iran. The soldier, who was serving compulsory service, used the Telegram messaging app to contact an Iranian agent and transmitted two videos showing missile interceptions during the June 2025 twelve‑day war between Israel and Iran. He received payment for the videos and also forwarded other footage, including a missile‑impact clip he had sourced online.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Israeli army, police, gendarmerie and the Shin Bet security agency. Prosecutors had asked for a seven‑year sentence, but the court noted that the soldier had not disclosed classified military information, had terminated contact with the foreign agent and had reported the liaison to his superiors, which were considered mitigating factors.

The case highlights the vulnerability of modern armed forces to recruitment via digital platforms and underscores ongoing intelligence tensions between Jerusalem and Tehran.