A foreign operative with Iranian connections attempted to make contact with the family of an Israeli man accused of espionage, Channel 12 News revealed today. The incident occurred shortly after Rafael Golyev's arrest on charges of spying for Iran.
The operative, based in Dubai, reached out to Golyev's father in what security sources describe as a likely attempt to monitor the investigation. Despite being unaware of his son's arrest at the time, the father became immediately suspicious of the unexpected contact.
"The timing was no coincidence," a source close to the family told Channel 12. The father promptly reported the interaction to Israeli security authorities.
According to security assessments, the contact was likely an Iranian representative attempting to determine Golyev's status, verify whether he was cooperating with Israeli authorities and monitor any potential intelligence leaks to the Shin Bet.
When he was approached by the Dubai contact, Golyev's father simply stated his son was traveling, avoiding any confirmation of the arrest.