According to a report by Reuters on Thursday, March 19, 2026, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry announced on Thursday that its forces have identified and detained 97 individuals it describes as mercenaries recruited by Israel, marking what Tehran calls a major counter‑intelligence success amid the ongoing war.
The ministry said the arrests took place across several provinces and followed sustained efforts to foil plots aimed at destabilizing the country.
According to the ministry’s statement, the detained suspects were allegedly part of networks that planned to exploit the war to trigger unrest and violent actions. Authorities said they seized caches of weapons, communication equipment and ammunition during the nationwide operation. State media reported that intelligence and security forces collaborated to identify and arrest 69 individuals linked to both U.S. and Israeli intelligence services. See More In Details…