The Shin Bet has disclosed recent attempts by Iranian intelligence to spy on Israeli defense officials and gather information about civilians by using fake social media profiles focusing on the ongoing war and the situation of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. According to the Shin Bet, Iranian operatives created false online personas to engage with Israelis. These operatives instructed Israeli individuals to photograph the residences of key Israeli defense officials and other prominent figures known for their public opposition to Iran. Furthermore, the Iranian agents used these fictitious social media accounts and websites to organize gatherings near the homes of families with members held hostage by Hamas. They also arranged for flowers and messages to be sent to these homes. During protests demanding the release of the hostages, the operatives reportedly manipulated Israelis into displaying signs prepared by them and photographing the demonstrations. The Shin Bet highlighted that these social media profiles, which appeared on platforms like Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok, posed as various entities. These included accounts mimicking far-right activists, supporters of the hostages, and even a page under the name ‘Kan+’, falsely representing the Kan public broadcaster. The agency said that the operatives’ actions were not only focused on surveillance but also involved efforts to extract personal information from Israelis through surveys, likely intending to use this data for further intel-related tasks. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)