When Aziz Nisanov and three other tour guides were presented with their certificates for an off-road driving course in December 2023, there was little to arouse suspicion.

In reality though, according to Israeli police, this was all part of the cover story of one of the biggest Iranian spy cells in recent years, which went on to receive $300,000 and complete 600 missions.

Mr Nisanov and six other Jewish Israeli citizens have been charged over their alleged involvement in the plot, including his son, an alleged Israel Defense Forces deserter, and two teenagers, aged 16 and 17.

The case is among several to emerge in recent weeks which have seen dozens arrested. Intelligence officials are alarmed that Israeli Jews were persuaded to spy and even more worried that in some cases they were  apparently at large for years.

Iran is using an army of handlers to recruit Israelis on social media with offers of money for initially harmless, trivial tasks or exploiting minor daily gripes about the country.

However, it is claimed that once “hooked” the missions have grown from putting up banners criticising Benjamin Netanyahu to assassination plots or surveillance of sites later attacked by Hezbollah and Iran.

Mr Nisanov, 43, is said to be the ringleader of a cell in the northern port city of Haifa, which allegedly documented sites including Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence systems.