Iran arrests dozens suspected of spying for Israel amid Middle East war

Tehran: Iranian authorities have arrested dozens across the country on suspicion of cooperating with Israel, local media reported on Sunday, more than two weeks into the Middle East war.

"Twenty people were arrested and detained" after they were found to be "sending details of military, law enforcement and security locations to the Zionist enemy," the Fars news agency said, quoting provincial prosecutor Hossein Majidi.

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Those arrests took place during raids on networks linked to Israel in West Azerbaijan province, it added.

At least 18 people were also arrested over "sending images of locations bombed by Israel and the US" and other sites to the London-based TV channel Iran International, the Tasnim news agency said, quoting the intelligence ministry.

In January, Iran banned cooperation with Iran International, saying it was "affiliated with the Zionist regime".

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The war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking Iranian retaliation.

Authorities have since carried out sweeping raids across Iran, arresting in recent days hundreds of people suspected of cooperating with Israel and the United States, local media reported.