Another IAF officer arrested after placing Polymarket bets on attacks in Iran, Yemen

An Israeli Air Force officer, identified as a major, has been arrested on suspicion of committing a breach of trust after placing bets on the outcomes of attacks in Iran and Yemen via the online platform Polymarket, according to N12. The arrest follows a hearing focusing on the use of sensitive military information to gamble on the prediction market.

Previously, similar cases have led to charges including exploitation of classified military information to place wagers on Polymarket. Polymarket is a decentralized prediction market that allows users to trade shares by betting on real-world events, with the platform's prices reflecting real-time probabilities. It is considered a forecasting tool and some experts believe it to be more accurate than traditional polls.

Earlier this year, two IAF reservists were arrested in a joint operation involving the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), Defense Ministry investigative unit, and the Israel Police. They were accused of betting on military operations' timing based on classified information they had access to during their service. Prosecutors stated they would prosecute the pair for serious security offenses, bribery, and obstruction of justice.

This arrest comes after weeks of reporting on Polymarket activity linked to Israeli military developments. In January, the Shin Bet investigated suspicions of someone inside the defense establishment placing bets on Polymarket using classified information, as reported by KAN News. In May, an IAF officer was charged with betting on Polymarket regarding military operations, with prosecutors alleging he sought financial benefit that could endanger the entire force.

During his defense, the officer claimed that everyone in the force gambles on similar platforms and that the Israel Air Force is involved in gambling.

The White House had previously warned its staff against using insider knowledge to place bets on sites like Polymarket in a staff-wide email, reported the Wall Street Journal in April. Calls for investigations into the prediction market increased after significant bets on major geopolitical events were placed just before they occurred, such as the US-Iran ceasefire and Israel's attack on Iran. At least two bills banning such bets are currently pending in the US Congress.