Iran’s theocracy exits 2025 battered yet still standing, with analysts telling Eye for Iran that Tehran is interpreting survival after a punishing war with Israel, regional losses and domestic strain as grounds for taking greater risks in 2026.
Israeli security services said on Thursday they had arrested an Israeli citizen on suspicion of spying for Iran, including photographing the home of former prime minister Naftali Bennett, in what authorities described as part of stepped-up Iranian intelligence activity.
An Iranian revolutionary court in the northwestern city of Urmia has sentenced a man to death on charges of cooperating with Israel, according to information received by Iran International and people familiar with the case.
Iran’s Supreme Leader approved the development of compact nuclear warheads for ballistic missiles in October, reversing years of restraint after Iran’s June war with Israel, the Italian Institute for International Political Studies said in a report on Wednesday.
Iran detained about 2,000 people accused of links to enemy intelligence networks during and after the 12-day war with Israel in June, a senior armed forces official said on Tuesday.
A surge in Israeli reports and briefings on possible action against Iran could increase the risk of unintended escalation, Israeli security officials cautioned, with a Ynet analysis warning that public discussion may be misread by Tehran at a sensitive moment.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson accused Israel of drawing on a history of covert “false flag” operations to shape international narratives, implicitly suggesting that a recent attack in Sydney may have been linked to Israeli actions without making the allegation explicit.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Monday that Israel was defeated in the recent 12-day conflict because it failed to trigger unrest inside Iran, despite what its spokesman described as expectations that military strikes would lead to domestic turmoil.
Israel is thinking about regime change in Iran as an option to avoid repeated rounds of conflict, former Israeli consul in Los Angeles said on Sunday.
Israeli officials are preparing to brief Donald Trump on options for possible new military strikes on Iran, citing concerns that Tehran is expanding its ballistic missile program, NBC News reported on Saturday.
Israeli authorities arrested a Russian citizen working in Israel on suspicion of carrying out espionage tasks for Iranian intelligence, including photographing ships and infrastructure at Israeli ports, Israeli media reported on Friday.
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett on Wednesday rejected a claim by an Iran-linked hacking group that it had infiltrated his mobile phone.
Israel is reassessing the impact of its June military campaign on Iran’s ballistic missile program as analysts say Tehran is keen to rebuild its core deterrent in a move that could set the stage for renewed war.
Israel on Monday doubted Iran's condemnation of a deadly shooting at a Jewish holiday event in Sydney, accusing Tehran of deadly plots toward Jews worldwide as Australian authorities investigate the attack and assess possible external involvement.
Israeli police and the Shin Bet said they arrested an Ashkelon resident, 37-year-old Amir Malka, on suspicion of spying for Iran over several months, allegedly earning several thousand dollars.
An Iranian taekwondo athlete withdrew from the world under 21 championships in Kenya after the competition draw placed her against an Israeli opponent in the first round.
Cybersecurity firm ESET said it found new activity by the Iran aligned MuddyWater group that targeted critical infrastructure in Israel and one organization in Egypt.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed regional issues including Iran on Monday, CNN reported, as Israeli defense officials warned that a renewed conflict was possible.
Iran is steadily rebuilding its nuclear program and stalled talks with the United States have increased the likelihood of another direct confrontation with Israel, HuffPost Italy reported citing a former senior Mossad official.
Israeli defense company Elbit Systems said its Hermes 900 drones helped locate dozens of concealed Iranian ballistic missile launchers during the June war between Israel and Iran, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Iran’s UN ambassador demanded full compensation from Washington on Wednesday in a letter to the UN leadership, arguing the United States bears responsibility for damage Iran says resulted from joint US-Israeli strikes during June’s 12-day conflict.
Hamzeh Safavi, a Tehran University professor and son of senior Khamenei military adviser, said Iran should consider a Saudi-backed approach that conditions any recognition of Israel on acceptance of a two-state solution along 1967 borders, the Financial Times reported.