Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Sep 06, 2025

Iran Used Fake Instagram Accounts To Try To Kidnap Our Citizens: Israel

Iran Used Fake Instagram Accounts To Try To Kidnap Our Citizens: Israel

The Israeli claim came hours after Iran accused its arch-enemy of orchestrating an attack on a key nuclear site and vowed "revenge".
Israeli spy agencies accused Iran on Monday of using fake social media accounts to lure citizens of the Jewish state abroad "to harm or kidnap them".

The Israeli claim came hours after Iran accused its arch-enemy of orchestrating an attack on a key nuclear site and vowed "revenge".

A statement from Israel's domestic security agency Shin Bet said it and international intelligence service Mossad uncovered a "method" by which "Iranian intelligence operatives" used fake Instagram profiles of women "seemingly engaged in business and tourism" to target Israelis.

Operatives would use the profiles to reach out to Israelis with international business contacts and try "to draw them into romantic or commercial meetings" in countries around the world, the statement added.

The Israeli intelligence organisations were "genuinely concerned" the Iranian activities "could lead to attempts to harm or kidnap Israelis in those countries", the Shin Bet said, noting that a similar tactic was used by Iran against regime opponents in Europe.

An Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP there was "at least one case of a citizen who left for a foreign country in order to conduct a meeting" after being in touch with a suspicious social media account.

"The person was warned by (Israeli) intelligence and returned (home)," the official said.

Tensions between Iran and Israel have risen over recent weeks, with the foes trading attacks on each other's commercial vessels, according to reports.

On Monday, Iran said a "small explosion" had hit its Natanz uranium enrichment plant's electricity distribution centre the day before in what the foreign ministry labelled an Israeli act of "terrorism".

Israel has voiced opposition to recently renewed EU-backed talks with Iran aimed at rescuing the 2015 international agreement on Tehran's nuclear programme, which has been in tatters since the US unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018.

Israel believes Iran was cheating on the deal and working toward a nuclear weapon, while Tehran denies such ambitions.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Brand-New $1 Million Yacht Sinks Just Fifteen Minutes After Maiden Launch in Turkey
Here’s What the FBI Seized in John Bolton Raid — and the Legal Risks He Faces
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
×