Israel busts spy ring acting for Iran

JERUSALEM: Israel's security services have broken up a spy ring that was gathering information on behalf of Iranian intelligence in the latest attempt by Tehran to recruit Israelis for espionage, the Shin Bet and police said on Monday. Seven Israelis from Israel's north, including the port city of Haifa, were arrested after an investigation found they had gathered intelligence on Israeli military bases and energy and port infrastructure, a joint Shin Bet and police statement said. Iran's foreign ministry was not immediately available for comment.

The suspects, who included two minors, had been tasked by two agents from Iran's intelligence service to carry out hundreds of information gathering tasks on military bases, the Israeli statement said. The targets included a power plant in the northern town of Hadera, military bases with an emphasis on the air force and navy, as well as Israel's Iron Dome air defence batteries and ports, the statement said.