Israeli Sentenced to 13.5 Years for Spying for Iran

An Israeli man, Alexander Granovsky of Petah Tikva, has been sentenced to 13.5 years in prison for spying for Iran. The Central District Court in Lod handed down the sentence on Wednesday after Granovsky pleaded guilty to charges including contact with a foreign agent, providing information to an enemy, and arson.

Granovsky admitted to maintaining contact with an Iranian agent via Telegram and carrying out various tasks. These included documenting power stations and the neighborhood where former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz resides, and sending the footage to the agent. He also confessed to setting fire to nine vehicles, spraying graffiti, receiving instructions to destroy IDF uniforms, and attempting to locate individuals with criminal records for violent acts.

According to prosecutors, Granovsky acted with intent to conceal his identity and avoid detection, fully aware that his contact was an agent of a hostile entity. Despite this, he continued to cooperate and even sought more significant missions. In exchange for his services, Granovsky received thousands of dollars via a digital wallet.

Prosecutors highlighted that this sentence is the most severe handed down to date in cases involving Israelis who have collaborated with Iranian agents through social media. Granovsky also received a suspended sentence in addition to the prison term.