Galilee Man Arrested for Espionage for Lebanon

The Shin Bet security agency and the Lahav 433 anti-fraud unit of the Israel Police have arrested Hamdan Hamdan, a 32-year-old resident of Majd al-Krum in the Galilee, on suspicion of severe security offenses, including contact with a foreign agent and carrying out missions for an enemy entity in Lebanon. Hamdan is accused of maintaining direct and continuous contact for several months with a female agent from Lebanon, fully aware of her identity and affiliation with an enemy state.

Under the agent's direction, Hamdan was tasked with performing a series of security missions within Israel. The investigation revealed that as part of his compensation, the foreign entity attempted to pay him by purchasing various products in Israel and transferring them to him. This indirect payment method is a known tactic used to disguise funding and bypass financial monitoring systems.

The Coastal District Prosecutor's Office is expected to file a serious indictment against Hamdan on Sunday. Security officials emphasized the gravity of the phenomenon, warning Israeli citizens against any communication with hostile elements. They stated that intelligence and terror groups continue their efforts to recruit and operate Israelis for espionage and terror purposes, even during the current war, often through direct approaches on social media.

Hamdan's arrest is part of a broader effort by Israeli security forces to thwart recruitment and operational attempts by terror organizations and intelligence agencies, particularly Hezbollah and Iran-aligned groups, which seek to exploit Israeli citizens for intelligence gathering, mapping sensitive sites, and carrying out sabotage within Israel.