Arrests of Haredis Begin on Charges of Ties to Foreign Agents

Israeli sources reported the mysterious arrests of a number of extremist settlers (Haredi) on charges of having ties to foreign agents.

News ID: 87276

Date: 19 January 2026 - 13:39

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Israeli sources say that last night, dangerous scenes occurred in predominantly Haredi neighborhoods in cities such as Bnei Brak and Jerusalem, when special units of the Israeli police, in cooperation with other security agencies, carried out a large-scale operation to arrest dozens of young Haredis.

According to a report today (Monday) by Sky News Arabic, an eyewitness to the first hours of the chaos said: "At first, many thought the officers had come to arrest deserting soldiers, but it soon became clear that something much more serious was going on."

Police went to homes and religious schools, arrested a number of these individuals, and quickly transferred them to an unknown location for intensive security questioning.

According to local reports, the Jerusalem Peace Court, at the request of the police, has issued a complete ban on the publication of any information about the case.

This media ban covers all details, including the identities of those detained, their exact number, the nature of the charges, and any data that could lead to the identification of the defendants.

Even court hearings to extend detention will likely be held in private and behind closed doors.

According to Sky News, although the exact details of the charges are being closely guarded, sources close to the case have identified the charge of “establishing contact with a foreign agent” as the main focus of the investigation.

This charge is usually referred to in the Israeli judicial system in cases of espionage or transmitting sensitive information to the enemy.

Haredis (ultra-Orthodox settlers) who make up a large portion of the population of occupied Palestine.

This is not the first time that some members of this community have faced security charges, but the scale and media coverage of the operation made it an unprecedented event.

The media ban remains in place until further notice, and Israeli security agencies have refused to make an official comment.