The IDF Intelligence Directorate has thwarted a network of dozens of fake profiles online belonging to Hezbollah terrorists, the military revealed Thursday evening.
The terrorists used social media to gather intelligence, aiming to deceive IDF soldiers and attempt to extract sensitive information from them about their locations on bases across the country and the positions of troops.
According to the military's statement, the Information Security Department of the Intelligence Directorate exposed and thwarted the network through a unique operation. The terrorists, the statement said, posed as fake personas online, sometimes impersonating IDF soldiers.
The personas engaged in personal interactions with soldiers through messages, voice recordings, and video calls.
The IDF utilized various advanced capabilities to identify fake profiles to protect soldiers from enticement attempts by hostile agents.
Previous methods
Tracking soldiers on social media is one of the enemy's methods for enhancing intelligence. Just two months ago, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) exposed a series of fake profiles through which Iran attempted to recruit Israelis to spy for them. Numerous fake profiles were identified and monitored as part of the Shin Bet's operation.
Additionally, posts were identified in Telegram groups and channels from "IRAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE," offering "interesting and exciting" jobs and promises of high pay for completing them.
The post included a link where respondents were asked to complete their personal details. Many Israelis who received such suspicious offers refrained from responding and even alerted security authorities about them.