A 35-year-old Israeli man has been indicted on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, for allegedly planning to assassinate Israeli figures under orders from Iranian intelligence services.
The Israel Police and the State Attorney’s Office made the announcement on Wednesday, detailing the serious accusations against Vladimir Verhovsky, a resident of central Israel.
The indictment claims that Verhovsky made contact in August 2024 with an individual purportedly operating on behalf of Iranian intelligence, who identified himself as “Eli,” and claimed to be an Israeli citizen residing in Canada.
Despite knowing the individual’s hostile intentions towards Israel, Verhovsky reportedly engaged in various tasks in exchange for cryptocurrency payments ranging from $30 to $200. The communications were conducted in English through the Telegram messaging app.
Among the tasks assigned to Verhovsky were acts of vandalism, including spray-painting graffiti that read “LEHI” in both English and Hebrew, along with slogans such as “HITLER=NETANYAHU.” He also buried tracking devices at a bus station and filmed demonstrations occurring in Tel Aviv.
To maintain contact with “Eli,” Verhovsky allegedly purchased a dedicated cell phone, with funds received from the Iranian agent specifically for that purpose.
The indictment outlines that by late September, Verhovsky agreed to gather intelligence on a resident of Borla Street in Tel Aviv, taking photographs of the interior of the individual’s building.
Additionally, he inquired about the resident by presenting a photograph to neighbors and even knocked on the resident’s door.
The indictment further states that Verhovsky was prepared to kill an Israeli scientist in exchange for a payment of $100,000.
He was instructed by “Eli” to collect a firearm from a bag in a public location for this purpose. However, he was arrested by security services upon returning with the weapon.
The case against Verhovsky has drawn significant attention, particularly given the context of ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran.
During a court hearing, a prosecutor highlighted the seriousness of the charges, stating, “The defendant committed security offenses while the State of Israel was waging one of the most difficult wars it has ever known, on many fronts, including Iran.”
Verhovsky’s arrest comes just two days after two other Israelis were apprehended for allegedly carrying out sabotage operations on behalf of Iran and plotting to kill a senior Israeli figure. It remains unclear whether these two cases are interconnected.
In recent months, Israel’s Shin Bet security agency has reported a series of alleged Iranian plots aimed at recruiting Israelis to carry out intelligence-gathering missions or acts of violence.
Notably, last month, a Jewish Israeli civilian was arrested after allegedly being recruited by Iran to facilitate an assassination plot targeting high-ranking Israeli officials, including the Prime Minister, Defense Minister, or the head of the Shin Bet.
As tensions rise, authorities are closely monitoring potential threats from Iranian operatives and their attempts to manipulate individuals within Israel. Verhovsky is expected to appear in court for a remand extension hearing on Wednesday as the investigation continues.
