Israeli Court Sentences Petah Tikva Resident to 13.5 Years for Alleged Iran-Linked Activities

An Israeli court has sentenced a resident of Petah Tikva to 13 and a half years in prison after convicting him of carrying out security-related assignments for an alleged Iranian operative, according to Israeli media. Israel’s Channel 7 reported that the Central District Court in Lod handed down the sentence to Alexander Granovsky on Wednesday, describing it as the harshest punishment imposed so far in a case of this type.

Granovsky, who was arrested in 2024, was convicted of allegedly photographing power-generation facilities and the neighborhood where Israeli opposition politician Benny Gantz resides before sending the images to his alleged handler. Prosecutors also secured convictions over the burning of nine vehicles and the spraying of graffiti. Israeli authorities said he had expressed willingness to undertake additional assignments, although investigators reported that he said he would do anything “except killing.”

The case comes amid heightened Israeli and Iranian accusations of espionage and covert operations following successive rounds of military confrontation. Israel, with US involvement, launched attacks against Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, while the US and Israel launched another military campaign against Iran on February 28. Iranian authorities have also announced arrests of individuals accused of cooperating with foreign intelligence services, including Israel’s Mossad, over the alleged transfer of sensitive information.