Israeli authorities on March 20 indicted Raz Cohen, a reservist in the Israeli Defense Forces, for allegedly passing Iron Dome air defense secrets to Iranian intelligence in exchange for about $1,000 in virtual currency.
The Shin Bet and police unit Rahab 433 filed the complaint in the Jerusalem District Court following a joint investigation conducted during Operation Roaring Lion.
He had access to the secrets of Iron Dome. Iran bought them for $1,000 in virtual currency
Cohen, 26, served in the Iron Dome System’s command and control unit during his mandatory service from 2019 to 2022. According to the Times of Israel, he continued to communicate with his Iranian counterpart on Telegram starting in December 2025.
Over about a month, he sent 27 photos and videos showing the firing process, rate of fire, and arming procedure. He also provided the GPS coordinates of the Iron Dome batteries at Hatzerim and Palmahim bases, as well as the locations of seven Israeli Air Force (IAF) bases.
Cohen volunteered his handlers for military roles without instructions. He also gave personal information about Israeli security personnel, including a presidential palace guard and a relative who works as a pilot for the International Air Force.
Handler then reportedly posted a photo of his sister on his Telegram profile and threatened to expose Cohen. Mr. Cohen cut off contact and deleted his Telegram in February 2026. Authorities arrested him on March 1, the day after the war with Iran began.
Life sentence for wartime espionage
Mr. Cohen is charged with aiding the enemy during wartime and transmitting information to the enemy with intent to endanger national security.
Under Israeli law, both crimes are punishable by up to life in prison.
This is the first known espionage incident involving an Iron Dome operator. Dozens of Israelis have faced similar Iran-related charges in the past two years, according to reports from Israeli authorities, and recruitment attempts through social media and encrypted messaging apps have proliferated during the conflict.
This case exposes how hostile intelligence agencies use small cryptocurrency payments on encrypted platforms to obtain sensitive defense information from military personnel with active security clearances.
The post “How I bought Israeli missile defense secrets with $1,000 in crypto” was first published on BeInCrypto.
