How Israeli spies sneaked in weapons, shot down Iranian missiles from inside Iran

India Today

24-06-2025

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had in 2021 claimed that the head of Iran's counter-Mossad unit was himself an Israeli agent. Over decades, the Jewish nation has built an extensive espionage network in the Islamic Republic, the depth of which was on display in the recent Israeli offensive on June 13. Just as Israeli jets bombed Iran at will, precision weapons and armed drones smuggled into the country were used to shoot down Iranian anti-aircraft missiles from inside Iran.advertisementCombined with the pager blasts against Hezbollah, the recent operation also shows how Mossad, Israel's premier spy agency, quickly and effectively rebounded after the setback of October 7, 2023.The Middle East was thrown into renewed chaos after the October 7 attack by Hamas terrorists who stormed through the Israeli border with bullets and bulldozers and massacred over thousand people. Mossad was caught napping.
Last week, as Israeli warplanes pounded Iranian nuclear sites and assassinated top generals, it was Mossad's shadow spies who set the stage, long before the first jet of the Jewish nation took off for the operation.In a years-long operation, Mossad's spies smuggled in armed drones and precision weapons into Iran, which later crippled its air defences and missile systems, clearing the skies for Israel's blistering offensives, suggest several reports citing experts and anonymous officials. The covert operation, which severely undermined Iran's ability to resist the aerial assault, came amid the worst clashes between the two nations in decades, even as a jittery Tehran scrambled to arrest suspected spies.advertisement"This attack is the culmination of years of work by the Mossad to target Iran's nuclear programme," Mossad's former research director, Sima Shine, told the Associated Press.HOW MOSSAD SNEAKED IN DRONES, WEAPONS INTO IRANIsraeli officials say Mossad operatives set up a launch base inside Iran and used explosive drones to strike missile launchers near Tehran. The drones launched from the covert base near the Iranian capital struck Iranian surface-to-surface missile launchers near a key military site.The covert plan, according to a report in The Economist, was a multi-million-dollar operation.A former intelligence officer familiar with the Israeli operation told the Associated Press that the Mossad and the Israeli military spent at least three years coordinating and preparing the groundwork for the attack. The officer, who requested anonymity due to the classified nature of the mission, said the operation involved long-term planning and close collaboration.For months, Israeli operatives quietly smuggled parts of hundreds of explosive-laden quadcopter drones, hidden in suitcases, trucks, and shipping containers, along with munitions designed to launch from unmanned platforms, the Wall Street Journal noted in its report.Small teams equipped with the smuggled gear positioned themselves near Iran's air-defence systems and missile launch sites on June 13. When Israel launched its attack, some teams neutralised the air defences, while others struck missile launchers as they emerged from shelters and prepared to fire, the report said.advertisement"This is the deepest we've ever operated inside Iran," Defrin was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal. "We created aerial freedom of action".According to the Associated Press, Israel also used artificial intelligence to analyse intercepted data and satellite imagery, helping identify and prioritise high-value Iranian military and nuclear targets for precision strikes on Iran.DECADES OF DECEPTION: INSIDE MOSSAD'S LONG GAMEFormer Iranian intelligence minister Ali Younesi's 2020 warning that "Mossad is closer to us than our own ears" now stands as a chilling acknowledgement of just how deeply Israel has penetrated Iran over the years.These reports align with Israel's history of covert operations in enemy territory. Israel has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to execute multi-year operations aimed at infiltrating and disrupting adversaries deep within foreign territory.In September 2024, Israel's Mossad executed a sophisticated cyber-sabotage operation, detonating thousands of rigged pagers used by Iran's Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, killing dozens and wounding thousands.In July 2024, Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader, in Tehran, Iran, using a precision strike.advertisementIranian state media has not denied the existence of such operations, reporting instead that several suspected Mossad operatives have been arrested since June 13, with some reportedly executed.A week after the initial Israeli attacks, codenamed 'Rising Lion', the US targeted Iran's nuclear facilities, including Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow on June 22. The US forces, coordinated with Israel, struck these sites with bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles, with President Donald Trump claiming the facilities were "totally obliterated".The conflict between Israel and Iran has heightened global tensions, pushing the Middle East towards a broader regional confrontation and triggering a spike in oil prices amid fears of a further escalation. The US, an ally of Israel, launched strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, intensifying the conflict even as Trump was trying to get a nuclear "deal" to ease tensions. But now, with Iran vowing retaliation and Israeli operations continuing, fears of escalation and disruptions loom large.While Iran fires cruise missiles at Israel, it will constantly keep worrying about Mossad operatives within its borders now that its vulnerabilities have been laid bare.- EndsTune InMust Watch