An Israeli court has charged a 14-year-old boy with allegedly spying for Iran after he was reportedly recruited online and paid in cryptocurrency, according to Israeli authorities. The case was reported in March 2026, with prosecutors stating the teenager carried out tasks on behalf of Iranian operatives.
Authorities allege the boy was instructed to photograph locations and carry out small assignments in exchange for payments totaling more than $1,000 in cryptocurrency. Officials say the contact was made over online platforms, where Iranian agents have increasingly been accused of attempting to recruit individuals inside Israel.
Israeli security services have warned of a rise in such recruitment efforts, particularly targeting minors and young people through social media and messaging apps. The case has been presented as part of a broader pattern of Iranian intelligence activity in the region. The suspect’s identity has not been publicly disclosed due to his age, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
