Israel arrests 13-year-old boy for allegedly spying for Iran

Israel said on Tuesday that a 13-year-old boy from Tel Aviv had been arrested on suspicion of carrying out tasks on behalf of Iranian operatives, including an attempt to photograph Iron Dome missile defense batteries.

In a joint statement, the police and Shin Bet internal security agency said the boy was contacted in recent weeks by Iranian agents via the Telegram messaging app and was offered payment to carry out several missions.

"He agreed to their request and, following their instructions, sprayed graffiti in the Tel Aviv area in return for money," the statement said. "He was also asked to photograph the Iron Dome defense system, but ultimately did not complete that task."

The boy was released to house arrest following his interrogation.

The case is the latest in a string of incidents since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, in which Israeli citizens have been accused of being recruited by Iran via social media to gather intelligence.