Israeli Teens, 14 and 16, Charged With Carrying Out Paid Tasks for Iranian Agent

(Photo: Police Spokesperson)

The State Attorney’s Office has filed indictments in the Haifa District Juvenile Court against two minors, ages 14 and 16, from Kiryat Motzkin, over activities they allegedly carried out for payment on behalf of a foreign agent operating for Iran. According to the indictment, the contact began through Telegram and later expanded to photographing sites in Israel, spraying graffiti, and attempting to recruit additional minors to carry out assignments.

According to the indictment, filed by attorney Ilan Gamburg of the Haifa District Attorney’s Office, the case began in June 2026, when one of the minors was looking for work through a Telegram group and contacted someone who identified himself as “Daniel.” That person offered to pay him for carrying out various assignments. The minor later brought his friend into the operation, and the two completed some of the assignments together.

As part of the contact with the agent, one of the minors photographed various locations around Israel, including malls in the Herzliya and Tel Aviv areas. In one assignment, he also provided information about the number of entrances and exits at a mall, as well as the number of security guards present there. After one of the photography assignments, the minor deleted the videos he had sent after fearing that the agent might use the materials to carry out a terrorist attack.

According to the indictment, the two did more than take photographs. Together, they sprayed graffiti in the Kiryat Motzkin area, documented it, and sent the documentation to the agent. At one point, one of the minors asked his contact whether he was Iranian, and the contact replied that he was connected to Iran. Despite this, their contact continued.

The minors later allegedly tried to expand the operation. One of them used his friend’s Telegram account and posed as a soldier in Unit 8200 to receive additional assignments from the agent. After being asked to recruit more people, he also worked to set up a Telegram channel and asked his friend to add minors who would be willing to carry out “high-risk” assignments.

The minors received payments totaling hundreds of shekels for the assignments they carried out, including through cryptocurrency. According to the indictment, the two continued cooperating with the contact even after they became suspicious, and later even after they knew he was an agent operating on behalf of Iran.

One minor is charged with contact with a foreign agent, three counts of providing information for the benefit of the enemy, and property vandalism. The second minor is charged with aiding contact with a foreign agent and property vandalism.