An Israeli student was convicted on Sunday of spying for Iran amid what Israeli authorities describe as a growing effort by Tehran to recruit citizens for espionage.

As increasing numbers of Israelis are being accused of working for Iran, arrests in the Islamic Republic targeting alleged spy rings are also on the rise.

What happened: Elimelech Stern, a 22-year-old Hasidic Jewish religious student, was found guilty by a Jerusalem court of contact with a foreign agent and conspiring to make threats.

Stern, a resident of the central city of Beit Shemesh, was arrested in July 2024 for communicating with an Iranian agent via the Telegram messaging app and carrying out several tasks on their behalf that year. His activities included recruiting an accomplice to hang fliers in Tel Aviv marked with images of bloodstained handprints accusing Israel of killing children. He had planned to leave a threatening package at the home of Ronen Shaul, Israel’s representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency, but did not follow through, according to reports by the Times of Israel, Ynet and other Israeli media outlets. Two other suspects were arrested at the time, but it was unclear if they were ever charged.