Mossad, Israel’s internal intelligence agency, has a reputation for being highly successful in clandestine operations inside Iran. To be sure, it goes straight to the heart of the country’s nuclear aspirations, but does so with little fear of retaliation. In recent years, Mossad has conducted a dramatic array of operations in the spotlight. These tactics have included targeted assassinations and sabotage, helping the IRGC turn into perhaps the most dangerous military branch in the active covert war between Iran and America.
The Israeli agency brought their new measures to bear starting in the early 2010s. This increase followed Iran’s claims that Israel was behind a plot to kill Iranian nuclear experts. At the center of these operations was the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran’s chief nuclear scientist, in November 2020. Although he was traveling in a bulletproof car, his assassination was an operation that highlighted Mossad’s ability to strike with precision and planning.
Yet according to recent reports, Mossad’s emphasis has changed in the last two decades from just killing enemies to other tools. The agency has recently expanded the use of explosive drones inside Iran as well. Their reports claim these drones then destroyed missile launchers just outside of Tehran. This example shows the agency’s tactical genius in preemptively neutralizing threats projected from within Iranian borders. An Israeli security source confirmed a daring operation by Mossad. They snuck this innovative weapon into Iran before the strikes even started, turning Iran’s own defenses against themselves.
That’s because Mossad’s operations are years in the making. They are sexy and glamorous affairs including extensive intelligence collection and the audacious insertion of commandos far behind enemy lines. Their most recent operation, for example, included planting an explosive device in a guest house often used by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Mossad even took two months to plan the operation down to the last detail. To do so, they detonated the bomb remotely while Haniyeh was in attendance, displaying their extensive knowledge of security measures.
“For years now, Mossad has been playing in Iran like its backyard,” said Holly Dagres, an expert on Middle Eastern affairs @hdagres. What underlies this sentiment is a deeper appreciation of how Israel has used its intelligence arsenal as a weapon against Iran for almost two decades.
According to the case between 2007 and 2012, Israel has carried out five notable covert assassinations. Most of them took place in Tehran. These missions often used remote-controlled explosives or machine gun turrets, further underscoring the technical expertise of Mossad. The agency has, to its credit, a very strong track record. It still leads this shadow war, which has played out more openly in the public eye since April 2024.
Mossad has run spectacularly daring assassination campaigns. Among these was one of its most remarkable accomplishments, the audacious early 2018 theft of Iran’s nuclear archive. The operation was broadcast live from Jerusalem, marking a significant intelligence victory for Israel and highlighting its operational reach within Iranian borders.
Ram Ben Barak, the former deputy director of Israel’s external intelligence agency Mossad, recently hailed the agency’s ongoing success in the field as a great achievement. He stressed that these types of operations needed months of planning and an almost surgical familiarity with their targets’ infrastructures and security protocols.
As the threat of a military confrontation between Israel and Iran escalates, Iranian officials have risen to the occasion with swagger and bluster. Fereydoon Abbasi, a former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said, “Our centers are dispersed in all parts of the country. As long as they don’t bomb our production locations, it’s not going to disrupt our schedule. Right now, we physically protect our nuclear materials underground, and we’re bomb-proofing them against any form of attack. This public statement signals both Iran’s confidence in its ability to endure Israeli operations and attacks and highlights Iran’s own strategic depth.
Mossad’s operations are not without risks. The agency has to contend with a complex and effective Iranian security and intelligence agency landscape while carrying out its day to day missions. Despite this, the preponderance of evidence indicates that Mossad was behind a series of recent high-profile assassinations and sabotage efforts.
