Israeli military leaked classified information about Iron Dome air defense system for $ 1000 in cryptocurrency

Israeli authorities have brought serious charges against Israel Defense Forces reservist Raz Cohen. According to the investigation, he passed classified information about the Iron Dome air defense system to Iranian intelligence, receiving about a thousand dollars in cryptocurrency for it.

Cohen, 26, served in the Iron Dome command and staff unit in 2019−2022. Investigators found that since December 2025, he had been in contact with his Iranian handler via Telegram. Within a month, he sent 27 photos and videos demonstrating firing processes, firing rates, and training procedures. He also provided the coordinates of the Iron Dome batteries at Hatzerim and Palmachim bases, as well as the locations of seven Israeli Air Force air bases.

In addition to military data, Cohen passed on personal information about individual security officers, including a security guard at the president’s residence and a relative who serves as a pilot in the Air Force. According to the investigation, the curator later began to threaten him using a photo of his sister. In February 2026, Cohen blocked the contact and deleted Telegram, but was arrested on March 1, the day after the outbreak of war with Iran.

He is charged with aiding the enemy in time of war and transmitting information with the intent to harm state security. Both crimes carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

This is the first known case of espionage involving an Iron Dome operator. Israeli security services emphasize that over the past two years, dozens of citizens of the country have been investigated for contacts with Iranian intelligence, which actively uses social networks and encrypted messengers to recruit military personnel and obtain classified data.