Among those arrested and ordered held for five days were Shaul Elovitch, the owner of the Walla news website and the controlling shareholder of Israel's largest telecom company Bezeq, his wife Iris, and his son Or.

Also held were the director general of the Communications Ministry Shlomo Filber, former Netanyahu family spokesman Nir Hefetz, Bezeq CEO Stella Handler and senior Bezeq executive Amikam Shorer.

Netanayhu and his wife Sara are also expected to be questioned in the probe. Known as Case 4000, it revolves around a suspected quid pro quo deal between Elovitch and Netanyahu that would have seen the prime minister granted positive media coverage in exchange for financial benefits for Bezeq.