In a series of arrests linked to Iranian espionage efforts, an Israeli couple from Lod and a resident of Bnei Brak face serious allegations of working for Iranian intelligence. According to statements from the Shin Bet and police, Rafael and Lala Guliyev, both around 32 years old, were arrested on suspicion of gathering intelligence on sensitive sites in Israel and being involved in plans for a potential assassination on behalf of Iran.

Authorities report that Rafael Guliyev was allegedly directed to find an assassin under the orders of his Iranian contacts. Together with his wife, he is accused of surveilling national infrastructure sites and tracking an academic associated with a security-focused think tank, reportedly with the aim of putting her in harm’s way. The Shin Bet claims the couple was recruited through a network targeting Israeli citizens of Caucasian descent, with an Israeli of Azerbaijani origin believed to have facilitated the recruitment.

Investigators say Rafael’s missions included surveillance of sensitive locations, such as the headquarters of the Mossad, and gathering information on a scholar at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). Shin Bet’s statement suggests his wife, Lala, provided assistance in several of these operations.

The motive behind the couple’s alleged actions remains unclear, with no confirmation if financial or ideological factors were involved. A Shin Bet official described the investigation as another example of “Iranian intelligence agencies’ ongoing efforts to recruit and manipulate Israeli citizens for espionage and terrorist purposes.”

Separately, Asher Binyamin Weiss, a Bnei Brak resident, has been indicted by the State Attorney’s Office on charges of collaborating with Iranian agents. Weiss allegedly surveilled an Israeli nuclear scientist on behalf of Iran, capturing video footage of the scientist’s home and vehicle with a GoPro camera. This footage was reportedly sent to an Iranian agent who, in turn, passed it along to an East Jerusalem resident, tasked with carrying out an assassination.

The indictment against Weiss, filed in the Tel Aviv District Court, includes charges of contact with a foreign agent, passing information to the enemy, and obstruction of justice. Additional accusations detail acts of arson, graffiti, and widespread distribution of posters promoting civil disobedience.

YWN notes that veteran journalist Yanki Farber tells YWN that Weiss is a resident of Ramat Gan – not Bnei Brak – and is not “Chareidi.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)