Israeli intelligence operations in Iran and Lebanon

Former Mossad Director David Barnea has disclosed strategic details regarding Israeli intelligence activities in Iran and Lebanon. During a speech at the Priority Summit, Barnea described the tactics used during ‘Operation Rising Lion’ in June 2025, a military campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military assets.

Barnea explained that the Mossad utilized a strategy of strategic deception by releasing official video footage bearing the agency’s logo. This move was intended to overwhelm Iranian security services with a massive volume of potential suspects, making it difficult for authorities to distinguish genuine operatives from innocent civilians. He noted that approximately 21,000 people were arrested by Iranian authorities on the second day of the conflict, a mass detention that ultimately led to the release of detainees after they provided similar accounts of their activities.

Additionally, Barnea addressed the 2024 operation involving explosive pagers targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon and questioned the validity of certain executions in Iran carried out against individuals accused of spying for Israel, claiming some executed individuals had no connection to the Mossad.