Over the past two years, more than 60 Israeli citizens have been arrested and charged with assisting Iran, Israel’s primary adversary, with nearly two dozen indictments reported in 2025 alone. These individuals represent a broad cross-section of society, including teenagers, pensioners, immigrants, and members of the military, many of whom were recruited through unsolicited online messages offering financial incentives for seemingly simple tasks.
Israeli security officials report a sharp increase in Iranian recruitment efforts during 2025, with the number of thwarted attempts involving Israeli citizens estimated to have quadrupled compared to the previous year. Authorities estimate that millions of Israelis have received such approaches, with some schools reporting that multiple students acknowledged having been contacted. Initial assignments commonly involve minor acts such as spraying graffiti, photographing landmarks, or leaving objects at designated locations. However, these often escalate quickly to more serious activities including surveillance of public figures and incitement of violence. Payments, typically made in cryptocurrency, have ranged from a few thousand shekels to tens of thousands of dollars.
Security experts describe this development not only as a national security threat but also as a public health challenge, as hostile actors cast a wide net in hopes that even a small success rate validates their efforts. The recruitment campaigns tend to target individuals under financial strain and those who feel alienated from the state.
Within this context, concerns have been raised about the vulnerability of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community. While the vast majority of haredim are loyal citizens who would never assist an enemy of Israel, at least nine of the known cases involve members of this group. Although there is no definitive evidence indicating a targeted campaign against haredim specifically, experts warn against assuming the community is immune to recruitment efforts.
The factors contributing to potential vulnerability include financial hardship—about 34% of haredi families live below the poverty line, compared to 14% among other Jewish Israelis, with nearly half of haredi children growing up in financially stressed households. Employment rates among haredi men remain low, and earnings are significantly below the national average. Additionally, many in the community experience a degree of alienation from the broader state, a dynamic exacerbated by ongoing tensions over military conscription, judicial rulings, and welfare policies.
Technology use also poses a unique challenge. While a majority of haredim avoid internet-enabled devices and social media by choice, the proportion of those using smartphones and engaging online has been steadily rising in recent years. Recruiters primarily reach individuals on the community’s modernizing edge—those straddling traditional haredi life and mainstream Israeli society—who may be more susceptible due to their precarious social positioning.
Addressing this threat, experts call for targeted research to identify those most at risk and develop culturally sensitive prevention strategies. Effective communication within the haredi community is crucial, leveraging trusted messengers such as rabbis and local leaders. Some senior rabbis have begun issuing warnings in languages including Yiddish, condemning collaboration with hostile forces as a grave violation of religious and national loyalty.
Authorities are also urged to frame the response as an opportunity to build trust rather than solely a security crackdown. Initiatives promoting financial literacy and vocational training, alongside public health efforts targeting issues like smoking, could strengthen community resilience and cohesion.
Ultimately, experts emphasize that the recruitment threat, while serious, is manageable. How Israel and the haredi community respond may either deepen existing divisions or foster a stronger, more united society in the face of external attempts to exploit internal fractures.