Israeli court jails man for 55 months in Iran-linked spying case
An Israeli court sentenced a man to 55 months in prison on Tuesday over work prosecutors said he carried out for an Iranian agent, including recording an area near the home of former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
The Haifa District Court convicted Fares Abu al-Hija, 32, of contact with a foreign agent under a plea deal.
Prosecutors said Abu al-Hija carried out several tasks between October 2025 and January 2026, including recording a Tel Aviv cafe, hiding mobile phones and money and leaving a password for a cryptocurrency wallet. They said he received about $3,600 for the work.
His final task involved recording streets near Gallant’s home in Amikam in northern Israel, where he was arrested after sending the material to his contact, according to prosecutors.
The court said Abu al-Hija suspected the person he communicated with on Telegram was an Iranian agent but did not investigate further. It also imposed a two-year suspended sentence.