IDF Reservist Charged With Passing Classified Iron Dome Data To Iranian Intelligence Agents For Cryptocurrency

A 26-year-old Jerusalem resident faces life in prison after allegedly selling Iron Dome secrets to Iranian agents for cryptocurrency during active hostilities.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 20, 2026, 5:34 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Times of Israel

Espionage Charges Unveiled Against Air Defense Reservist

Legal proceedings have commenced in the Jerusalem District Court against Raz Cohen, a 26-year-old IDF reservist accused of collaborating with Iranian intelligence services. Cohen, who served in a unit specifically responsible for the Iron Dome air defense system, was arrested following a joint counter-espionage investigation by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police’s Unit for International Crime Investigations. Prosecutors allege that Cohen maintained contact with foreign agents for several months, fulfilling various security missions that compromised national defense protocols. According to Police Superintendent Shirat Peretz, the defendant knowingly engaged with hostile entities and received financial compensation in the form of cryptocurrency.

Compromise of Sensitive Military Infrastructure and Personnel

The scope of the data breach includes highly sensitive information regarding the technical operations of the Iron Dome, a cornerstone of Israel’s civilian protection strategy. Investigations revealed that Cohen did not only transmit technical specifications but also provided the names of various Israeli security officials and locations of strategic military sites. These transmissions occurred over a concentrated period of contact with Iranian handlers, though the indictment specifies that the alleged activities began months before the formal outbreak of the current war. The exchange of this classified intelligence for a sum of $1,000 in cryptocurrency underscores the low-cost, high-impact nature of modern digital recruitment by foreign intelligence agencies.

Severe Penalties for Assisting the Enemy During Wartime

The charges brought against Cohen are among the most serious in the Israeli penal code, including assisting the enemy during a war and transmitting information with the intent to harm state security. Under current statutes, the conviction for assisting an enemy during active hostilities carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or, in extreme cases, the death penalty. While capital punishment remains a rarity in the Israeli judicial system, the severity of the charges reflects the perceived existential threat posed by the disclosure of air defense vulnerabilities. The prosecution argues that the defendant’s awareness of his handlers’ origins necessitates a rigorous legal response to...