Tehran (Quds News Network)- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Sunday the dismantling of a 12-member espionage cell working for Israel, according to the state-affiliated ISNA News Agency. The IRGC says the group was involved in plans to carry out sabotage operations aimed at undermining the country's security. The IRGC’s statement detailed that the arrests were made across six Iranian provinces, with the network intending to execute security operations targeting civilians. “With the help of God, our intelligence and field experts managed to uncover and arrest 12 mercenaries and agents of the Zionist regime,” the IRGC’s statement said. The arrests come amid heightened tensions in the region, as Israel faces accusations of exporting its crises into Iran to divert attention from its strategic challenges, particularly the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The IRGC described the Israeli leadership as being “trapped in a strategic quagmire,” prompting them to escalate covert operations within Iran. Iranian intelligence reportedly intercepted communications between Israel and terrorist groups in southeastern Iran, aimed at stirring unrest. This follows a previous report from the Fars News Agency at the end of August, which cited Israeli attempts to incite instability within Iran. The IRGC also linked this espionage operation to broader Israeli efforts to weaken Iran’s security in retaliation for Tehran’s ongoing support for resistance movements in Gaza and Lebanon. The tensions between the two nations escalated further following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, during his visit to Tehran on July 31. Iran has since vowed to respond to the assassination, adding to the growing regional instability. In a related development, Israel's domestic security agency, Shin Bet, recently arrested Israeli businessman Moti Maiman, accusing him of collaborating with Iranian intelligence.