Overview

• Authorities identified the suspect as Yaakov Perel, 49, a dual Israeli‑American who had been living in Morocco, and said he was detained earlier this month after a Shin Bet and police investigation.
• Investigators allege he provided details on public figures, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and former IDF chief Herzi Halevi, and sent photos and videos of locations across Israel.
• Officials say he was paid in cryptocurrency and operated out of ideological opposition to Zionism.
• Police say he first contacted Iran’s embassy in Morocco in 2017, was approached by operatives after a January 2025 article, and traveled to Israel in July after failing to recruit others to assist.
• The agencies framed the case as part of a broader post–October 7 effort that includes more than 25 Iran-linked investigations and about 46 arrests, with charges now being prepared in district court.