Newsletters
An Israeli reservist who served in an Iron Dome air defense battalion has been charged with providing sensitive information to Iranian operatives in exchange for money, Israeli security agency Shin Bet and police announced Friday.
The Israeli military officials separately disclosed that between 10 and 20 Israeli Air Force (IAF) drones have been shot down over Iran during the current war.
A severe indictment was filed Friday at the Jerusalem District Court against Raz Cohen, a reserve soldier from Jerusalem who served in the military's Iron Dome air defense system.
Cohen is accused of security offenses and allegedly providing information related to Iron Dome activity to Iranian elements, according to the indictment.
Cohen was arrested at the start of the war and was questioned by the Lahav 433 police unit in a joint investigation with the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency.
His detention was extended several times before the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office filed the indictment on Friday. The indictment alleges he maintained contact with Iranian operatives and passed along sensitive information connected to Israel's air defense operations.
The case adds to a growing list of alleged Iranian efforts to recruit Israelis, including current and former security personnel, for intelligence-gathering missions.
In January 2025, an indictment was filed at the Haifa District Court against Israeli army reservists Yuri Ilyaspov, 22, and his friend Georgy Andreev, 21, both of whom also served in an Iron Dome battery unit and were childhood friends from Kiryat Yam.
Ilyaspov was charged with aiding the enemy in wartime, transmitting information to the enemy, aggravated espionage, contact with a foreign agent, property defacement, destruction of evidence, forgery, and use of a forged document.
Andreev was charged with contact with a foreign agent, destruction of evidence, theft, and property defacement.
1 min read
Israeli military officials disclosed that between 10 and 20 Israeli Air Force unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been shot down over Iran during the current war.
The military said its policy during the war is that the loss of unmanned drones is acceptable for the purpose of thwarting ballistic missile attacks on Israel.
"For that reason, the IAF has been sending cheaper UAVs on riskier strike missions in Iran, knowing they are likely to be shot down. In at least one case, one of these cheaper drones made it back to Israel," the Israeli military officials said.
"No Israeli fighter jets have been shot down, though pilots have come under anti-aircraft missile fire numerous times. In one case, a fighter pilot was described as 'close to being hit,'" the Israeli military added.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
