An assassination plot against Iranian Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was thwarted, and an Israeli man was charged with the crime.
Israel claims that Moti Maman, a 73-year-old Israeli businessman, had two meetings with Iranian intelligence.
An Israeli man was indicted by authorities for being recruited by Iran to carry out an assassination plot against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials.
Israeli police arrested Moti Maman, 73, in August, accusing him of twice visiting Iran to meet with intelligence officials and carry out tasks in Israel. Maman now admits to having a "lapse of judgment" and is cooperating with law enforcement.
In August, Israeli authorities claim that Iranian intelligence proposed assassination plans against Netanyahu, Gallant, and Bar during their recent trip to Iran.
Maman was promised $1 million in advance payment for his participation, but Iran only paid him 5,000 Euros, according to authorities.
The Shin Bet official stated that the Iranian intelligence agencies are making great efforts to recruit Israeli citizens to promote terrorist activities in Israel. The security officials believe that the Iranians will continue their efforts to recruit operatives in Israel to gather intelligence and carry out terrorist missions in Israel while also turning to elements with a criminal background to carry out the missions.
An Israeli citizen, during a time when Israel is engaged in conflict on multiple fronts, travels to an enemy country twice, meets with Iranian intelligence agents, and expresses a willingness to execute severe terrorist activities against Israel. His actions aided Iran and its intelligence agents in their efforts against Israel.
A massive Israeli operation targeting pagers used by Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy terrorist group in Lebanon, led to the news of Maman's indictment days later.
The recent explosions in Lebanon and Syria, which involved hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members and resulted in the detonation of a second wave of electronic devices, remain a mystery. Despite the efforts of experts, the deadly blasts have not been fully explained. However, it is believed that the attack was a sophisticated operation that required months of planning.
At least 37 people, including two children, were killed and over 3,000 others were injured in the two waves of bombings in Lebanon, according to the Health Ministry.
For years, Hezbollah has relied on pagers for communication, and the group's leader has urged members to abandon cell phones due to fears that Israeli intelligence may monitor the devices.
The Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, is believed to be responsible for the explosions, although Israel has not officially claimed responsibility.
On Wednesday, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Planet Chronicle that Israel was behind the pager explosions, prompting Hezbollah and Lebanon to immediately point fingers at Israel following the explosions on Tuesday.
Planet Chronicle' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report
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