Tel Aviv

Authorities in Israel said on Thursday (Sep 19) that the police arrested an Israeli citizen last month who was recruited by Iranian intelligence to plot the assassinations of top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

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In a joint statement by the police and Shin Bet, the citizen was recruited by Iranian intelligence to promote the assassinations of Israeli figures.

"He was smuggled twice into Iran and received payment for carrying out missions," the statement said, adding that Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and other top officials were among the targets. 

Who is the arrested Israeli citizen?

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Citing a court document, a report by the news agency AFP said that the man was identified as Mordechai Maman of Ashkelon. The document said that Maman was born in 1952, adding he had been in custody since August 29.

The joint statement from the police and Shin Bet said he was "a businessman who lived in Turkey for an extended period" and maintained connections with Turks and Iranians who introduced him by phone to an Iranian businessman called Eddie.

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The man attended at least two meetings in Iran to discuss the possibility of top Israeli officials which also included head of the Shin Bet. 

Another plot foiled by Shin Bet last week

Last week, Shin Bet uncovered what it said was a plot by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to assassinate a former senior defence official, who was subsequently identified as the former army chief of staff and defence minister Moshe Ya'alon.

The above developments come as hand-held radios used by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah detonated across the country's south on Wednesday, after similar explosions of the militant group's pagers the day before. 

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According to Lebanon's health ministry, 20 people were killed and more than 450 were injured on Wednesday, while the death toll from Tuesday's explosions rose to 12, including two children, with nearly 3,000 injured.

Citing sources, Reuters reported that Israel's spy agency Mossad was responsible for the explosions. However, Israeli officials have not commented on the blasts yet.

(With inputs from agencies)