Israel’s National Cyber Directorate said it is investigating a wave of suspicious phone calls targeting Israeli citizens with prerecorded Hebrew messages that appeared to come from Iranian intelligence operatives.

According to Ynet, one recording introduced itself as a direct pitch from Tehran: “Iranian intelligence is looking for official agents — competitive salary, comprehensive security. Find us on Telegram and the internet.” One man told the outlet that both he and his wife received a call offering financial compensation if they agreed to enlist as agents for Iran.

The cyber directorate urged the public not to answer calls from numbers beginning with 03-6817 or 03-3067, and to hang up immediately if connected. Officials stressed that simply answering the call would not compromise a device. Police instructed recipients to block the numbers and file reports with law enforcement.

The calls add to a string of documented Iranian recruitment efforts in recent years, many of them run through the encrypted messaging app Telegram. Investigations have shown that Israelis drawn in online are often asked to perform simple, seemingly harmless tasks before being directed to gather intelligence or, in some cases, participate in assassination plots. The surge in arrests has been significant enough that Israel has opened a new wing in Haifa’s Damon prison to house suspected Iranian agents.

Most operatives are ordinary Israeli civilians targeted by Iranian officers online. Israeli officials say the campaign is designed to build a grassroots spy network capable of collecting intelligence on nuclear and military facilities and tracking senior figures in the defense establishment and scientific community.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)