INTERNACIONAL
Israeli police say Iran using WhatsApp, Facebook, blackmail to recruit spies as latest attempt foiled
Fmr Mossad counterterrorism head discusses Israeli intelligence on Iran
Oded Ailam, a former Mossad counterterrorism head and JCSFA Senior Researcher, reveals Israeli intelligence’s strategy to harness internal Iranian dissent. Mossad has issued a message in Farsi, asking Iranian citizens to provide photos and videos of oppressive regime forces. Ailam notes Israel’s 2,200+ strikes against Iran-connected targets this week, including a natural gas field and Hezbollah assets in Lebanon.
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The arrest of two Israeli Air Force personnel on allegations of espionage has underscored Iran’s expanding efforts to penetrate Israel’s military by recruiting operatives from within.
Over the past year and a half, Israeli police, working alongside the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), have investigated more than 20 cases involving an estimated 40 to 50 suspects. Most remain in custody, though investigators believe additional suspects are still at large.
Capt. Sefi Berger of the Israel Police’s Lahav International and Major Crimes Unit, which investigates Iranian espionage cases, told Fox News Digital that Tehran primarily seeks intelligence that could aid attack planning, along with information on high-profile individuals and other sensitive targets.
IRAN ARRESTS DOZENS ACCUSED OF SPYING FOR ISRAEL IN NEW INTERNAL CRACKDOWN
Ami Gaydarov was arrested on March 9 by Israeli authorities on suspicion of working with Iranian handlers to harm a high-ranking official. (Israeli Police)
Payments vary widely. One network of seven suspects reportedly received about $300,000, while an Iron Dome reservist was allegedly paid $1,000 — and in some cases, even less.
«People may think they will get rich, but the money is not life-changing,» Berger said. «In one case last year involving two soldiers, one received just $21 and has been in prison for a year and a half.»
Iranian recruitment tactics include infiltrating WhatsApp and Facebook groups used by Israelis seeking freelance work, as well as pornography websites, where agents allegedly use compromising material to blackmail individuals into cooperating. Recruitment also relies on emotional manipulation of individuals whose moral judgment may be compromised.
«When recruiting a person, a relationship can develop between the handler and the spy. Sometimes the asset is looking for a father figure or a friend — someone who listens without judgment,» Berger said.
Former Shin Bet handler Gonen Ben Itzhak, who spent years recruiting sources within Palestinian society, told Fox News Digital that the issue is particularly serious, saying he has not previously seen so many attempts — and some successful cases — of spying against Israel.
IRANIAN REGIME SPREADING ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA ACROSS DOZENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: REPORT
Israel Police arresting a suspect in relation to Iranian espionage in Haifa. (Israel Police Spokesperson)
«The million-dollar question is who makes a good recruit. We don’t have a clear answer. There are certain indicators that someone may be more susceptible. The Iranians use social media — something we didn’t have in the same way —and it’s a powerful tool to identify potential motives,» he said.
As a handler, Ben Itzhak said he sought to recruit as many viable candidates as possible while avoiding individuals likely to attract suspicion, such as known criminals. He described the process as gradual and often uncertain.
«At first, they need to agree to meet in secret. Sometimes they come but won’t share information. I would start with simple questions — who leads Hamas in their village,» he said.
«Sometimes it takes time. Some refuse to cooperate, some may even act as double agents. In many cases, they are trained to collect information without being exposed. It’s a process,» Ben Itzhak added.
In March, 22-year-old Haifa resident Ami Gaydarov was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing explosives intended to target a senior Israeli figure at the direction of an Iranian agent.
A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed above a highway in Tehran on March 10, 2026. Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader on March 9, 2026. (AFP/Via Getty Images)
Last month, a man from the Israeli-Arab city of Qalansawe was detained on suspicion of allegedly spying for «a hostile actor, mediated through the Al Jazeera channel.» According to the investigation, Miqdad Moder Hosni Natur made contact with his handler after being introduced while searching for job opportunities through the Qatari-owned news organization.
Under Israeli law, contact with a foreign agent carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Providing intelligence can result in more than 10 years’ imprisonment, while aiding the enemy during wartime carries a minimum sentence of life imprisonment and, in extreme cases, the death penalty.
Berger also warned against attempts by Israelis to deceive foreign agents, stressing that any contact is a serious offense.
DANISH NATIONAL WANTED IN GERMANY ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY SPYING ON JEWISH TARGETS FOR IRAN
«We had a hotel worker near the Dead Sea who falsely told Iranians that a group of Israelis would arrive. He said it was a lie, but I explained he had effectively put a target on that hotel, its staff and guests, and encouraged an attack,» Berger said.
«People unfamiliar with this world should not engage in it. Contact is an offense, providing information is an offense, and aiding the enemy is the most severe,» he added.
Israeli citizen Moti Maman stands in a courtroom after he was accused by Israeli security services of involvement in an Iranian-backed assassination plot targeting prominent people including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Beersheba District Court in southern Israel, Sept. 19, 2024. (Reuters/Stringer )
While most suspects remain in custody awaiting trial, some cases are advancing through the courts.
One concluded case involved 70-year-old Moti Maman, who was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison after twice entering Iran, where he met with intelligence agents to discuss carrying out terrorist activity in Israel. He also discussed the possibility of assassinating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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Former Mossad operative Gad Shimron told Fox News Digital that while the espionage efforts have caused damage, their impact appears tactical rather than strategic. However, he cautioned against complacency.
«The electronic Iron Dome is trying to catch Israelis willing to work for the Iranians, and I believe it is quite efficient,» he said. «But one should never underestimate the enemy. I am sure they are investing a lot of effort and that they have some successes we don’t yet know of.»
war with iran, israel, counter terrorism, iran
INTERNACIONAL
Polo Carrera, el delantero ecuatoriano que jugó 24 años con un solo ojo, se consagró en tres países y atravesó un cáncer de huesos
Paúl Fernando Carrera Velasteguí, más conocido como Polo Carrera, nació en Quito el 11 de enero de 1945 y tiene 81 años. Casi nadie en la historia de Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito vio tanto fútbol desde tan cerca como él, y sin embargo lo vio, durante toda su carrera, con un solo ojo. Tenía ocho años y estudiaba en la escuela Vicente Rocafuerte de Quito cuando un dardo, lanzado en un juego escolar, le impactó en el ojo derecho. La lesión le dejó una ceguera permanente que ningún especialista logró revertir. Él mismo ha contado que en ese momento pensó que tal vez no volvería a jugar fútbol. No fue así: aprendió a vivir y a jugar con la visión reducida a su ojo izquierdo, y llegó a modificar su ubicación en la cancha para compensar la pérdida de campo visual por el lado derecho.
Durante buena parte de su carrera, ni siquiera sus entrenadores conocían la magnitud de esa limitación. Carrera ha relatado que fue en Uruguay, al tramitar su licencia de conducir, cuando los responsables se sorprendieron al comprobar que veía únicamente con un ojo. Con esa condición debutó como profesional en Liga en 1960: algunas fuentes, incluido el propio Carrera en entrevistas, sitúan ese debut a los 15 años, y se retiró en febrero de 1984, tras enfrentar al Grasshopper de Suiza. Entre un punto y otro pasaron 24 años, aunque no fueron 24 temporadas continuas: hubo salidas, regresos y pasos por media docena de clubes.
Esa itinerancia lo llevó a tres países. En Ecuador vistió las camisetas de Liga de Quito, Deportivo Quito, Barcelona, El Nacional, Universidad Católica y América de Quito. En 1966, con apenas 21 años, se convirtió en uno de los primeros ecuatorianos en jugar en Brasil, cuando el Fluminense de Río de Janeiro lo fichó para una etapa de unos nueve meses. Era, según sus propios recuerdos, prácticamente el único ecuatoriano en su entorno, y tuvo que adaptarse al idioma y a una cultura futbolística que le resultaba ajena. Con Fluminense disputó el Campeonato Guanabara y enfrentó al Santos de Pelé, a quien volvería a cruzarse años más tarde vistiendo otra camiseta. Su paso brasileño, sin embargo, no terminó en título: es una etapa central para entender el alcance internacional de su carrera, pero no un campeonato ganado allí.
El título fuera de Ecuador llegó en Uruguay. En 1968 Peñarol lo incorporó a un plantel que Carrera describiría después como extraordinario: Alberto Spencer en el ataque, Elías Figueroa en la defensa, Ladislao Mazurkiewicz bajo los tres palos. Ese equipo conquistó el Campeonato Uruguayo ese año, con un gol decisivo de Spencer de cabeza en la victoria sobre Nacional que definió el título. La relación entre los dos ecuatorianos trascendió la cancha: Carrera recordó a Spencer no solo como un gran futbolista, sino como una persona excepcional, y con el tiempo la amistad los llevó incluso a compartir negocios.
De vuelta en Ecuador, la lista de títulos siguió creciendo. Con El Nacional fue campeón del torneo correspondiente a 1973, definido en febrero de 1974. Luego regresó a Liga, justo cuando el club iniciaba una de las etapas más importantes de su historia: en 1975 se coronó campeón nacional con Carrera como una de sus figuras, y esa misma generación llevó a Liga a semifinales de la Copa Libertadores en 1975 y 1976, algo inédito para un equipo ecuatoriano en esa época.
Fue en esa competición donde Carrera dejó la marca que lo definiría por casi veinte años: 12 goles en la Copa Libertadores con la camiseta de Liga, un récord histórico del club que solo caería cuando Patricio Urrutia lo superó, ya en la generación que en 2008 conquistaría el título continental que a Carrera se le había escapado. Ese registro conviene no confundirlo con otro, igual de notable: los 92 goles que anotó con Liga en todas las competiciones a lo largo de sus distintos ciclos en el club, una cifra que lo mantiene como máximo artillero histórico de la institución y que Hernán Barcos, con 91, no logró alcanzar.
Con la selección ecuatoriana, Carrera jugó las eliminatorias rumbo al Mundial de Inglaterra 1966, sin clasificación para Ecuador, y las copas sudamericanas de 1967, 1975 y 1983. Las estadísticas disponibles le atribuyen 20 partidos internacionales y tres goles, aunque las bases modernas varían según los criterios que aplican para considerar un encuentro oficial.
Su historia con los títulos no se cerró cuando colgó los botines. En 1990 asumió como entrenador de Liga, entonces al borde del descenso, y lo condujo al campeonato ecuatoriano, el primero del club en quince años. Carrera pasó así a ser campeón nacional con Liga tanto de jugador, en 1975, como de técnico, en 1990. Después dirigió a Espoli, El Nacional, Aucas, Deportivo Quito y a la selección, y en 1993 logró con Espoli el ascenso a la Serie A.
La historia, además, no terminó en el terreno deportivo. En diciembre de 2025 la Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol lo recibió en la Casa de la Selección para su rehabilitación tras una cirugía de rodilla, y en marzo de 2026 relató, en una entrevista concedida en su casa, que desde 2023 había enfrentado un cáncer de huesos en remisión, un infarto y complicaciones posteriores en las rodillas. A los 81 años, el hombre que aprendió a jugar sin visión en un ojo describió esa recuperación como una nueva batalla personal, distinta a las que libró en las canchas de Quito, Montevideo y Río de Janeiro, pero librada con la misma insistencia.
corresponsal:Desde Quito
INTERNACIONAL
Indonesian passenger ship carrying 240 people loses contact in Java Sea, search underway
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A passenger ship carrying 240 people vanished from contact in the Java Sea on Sunday local time, triggering an urgent search as Indonesian crews raced to locate the vessel.
The Virgo Transport 8 was traveling from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin on the island of Borneo when communications with the ship were lost, the Associated Press reported, citing Indonesia’s Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office.
Authorities said the vessel was last tracked roughly 92 miles from a pier in Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan province.
MOM LOSES GRIP ON DAUGHTER AS PASSENGER FERRY CAPSIZES WITH 20 PEOPLE STILL MISSING
Authorities are searching for the Virgo Transport 8 after the passenger ship lost contact while traveling from East Java to South Kalimantan. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)
Search-and-rescue teams launched an operation after receiving a report that the ship had suffered a communications failure during the voyage, according to the AP.
Officials had not reported any deaths or injuries as of Sunday, and it was not immediately clear what caused the vessel to lose contact or whether weather conditions were affecting the search.
MULTIPLE RESCUED FROM PONTOON BOAT NEAR ALCATRAZ AS SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING PERSONS
The Virgo Transport 8 lost contact while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, according to officials. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)
The Virgo Transport 8 departed Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, before losing contact while crossing the Java Sea toward South Kalimantan.
The search remains underway.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
world, asia world regions, missing persons
INTERNACIONAL
‘Trump-level’ smackdown earns Vance roaring praise as 2028 buzz builds at GOP convention
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Republicans reached a consensus that Vice President JD Vance solidified his position as the presumptive 2028 presidential candidate with his «Trump-level» smackdown of a foreign flag-waving protester who disrupted his speech at the Republican National Convention.
Vance did not hesitate after a protester interrupted his primetime speech in Dallas on Thursday by waving the flags of the Palestinian Authority and Mexico. He recalled to those watching his speech on TV: «What the people at home missed is that we just had a protester interrupting us and waving the Mexican flag.»
«Well, my friend, if you love Mexico so much, get your a– over there. I’ll buy you the plane ticket,» the VP said, to which the crowd erupted into applause.
«JD Vance just MIC DROPPED a leftist heckler who interrupted him waving a Mexican flag…this place is DEAFENING,» conservative commentator Eric Daugherty wrote on X, adding, «TOTAL PANDEMONIUM.»
CROWD ERUPTS AS VANCE SMACKS DOWN PROTESTER WAVING MEXICAN FLAG: ‘GET YOUR A– OVER THERE’
A protestor throws a Mexican flag as Vice President JD Vance speaks during the second day of the Republican National Committee midterm convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on September 10, 2026. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
Popular conservative pundit Benny Johnson called Vance’s quick wit an «epic response.» President Donald Trump supporter and activist Scott Pressler similarly praised Vance for reacting «without missing a beat,» and called it «an iconic moment.»
«This was masterful. A Trump-level move from JD Vance,» wrote Overton, a conservative commentary and news account. «Vice President Vance perfectly handled a protestor waving a Mexican flag at the RNC in Dallas. Then he fired back with a savage one-liner that sent the American Airlines Center into absolute bedlam.»
The moment was capped off with a «USA!» chant from those in the crowd at the GOP Midterm Convention.
Students for Trump co-founder Ryan Fournier wrote, «JD Vance just absolute [sic] WIPED THE FLOOR with a leftist heckler who interrupted his rally waving a Mexican flag.»
«The crowd went completely WILD. Unbelievable energy,» wrote Fournier.
VANCE DECLARES DEMOCRATS ‘PARTY OF HATRED,’ SAYS PARTY HAS MOVED BEYOND BIG GOVERNMENT, CENSORSHIP
Vice President JD Vance introduces U.S. President Donald Trump to speak on stage on the second day of the 2026 Republican National Convention at the American Airlines Center on September 10, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
«JD Vance just notched the most iconic moment of the RNC when he told a protester waving a Mexican flag exactly what all red blooded Americans were thinking,» wrote Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet.
Commentator Brilyn Hollyhand put it simply, posting on X, «Yea JD for President after this.»
Vance recovered from the interruption quickly, telling the crowd, «Ladies and gentlemen, I had a whole speech written. But I think I’ve got to change it because we just discovered the symbol of the far left — an idiot waving … a Mexican flag at a protest when he should be waving the flag of the United States of America.»
«Now, we all know, of course, that as much as that person might wave around a foreign flag, he’d much rather live in Dallas, or in Cincinnati, or in any one of our great cities than Mexico,» President Donald Trump’s No. 2 continued. «But while we wave the American flag and fight for the American dream, we have to remind ourselves tonight that the good life that is the foundation of this country’s promise is not guaranteed.»
CHARLIE KIRK HONORED AT GOP CONVENTION WITH CALL TO REJECT ‘COMFORTABLE LOSING’
People hold signs on the first day of the 2026 Republican National Convention at the American Airlines Center on September 9, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
«Every generation of Americans has had to fight for these things when it’s our turn,» he went on.
«And this fall, the Democrats are running candidates who will tell your children what they’re allowed to say, how they’re allowed to live, and importantly, who they ought to hate, because that’s what the Democrat Party is about in 2026,» Vance continued. «It’s not about you, it’s about foreign fraudsters, and it’s about who they hate. And we got to send their a–es back in November.»
Speculation has swirled over who will be the heir to Trump’s MAGA throne in 2028. The consensus so far among Republicans appears to be split between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — but a lot could change before the next presidential election.
jd vance, republican convention, politics, dallas fort worth, texas, donald trump, us protests
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