Mossad vs. Iran: The Next Big Conflict?

Iranian state TV shows smoke rising over Tehran. The intelligence agency was the tip of the spear in Israel's Operation Rising Lion, an opportunistic strike on its most formidable adversary, Iran, that triggered the so-called "12-day war". Israeli intelligence agency Mossad had smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of the strikes, according to Israeli security officials, and would use the weapons to target Iran’s defense from within. Meanwhile on the ground, Israel's Mossad spy agency was conducting a series of covert sabotage operations deep inside Iran to take out air defenses and ballistic missile launchers. Hundreds of Mossad agents both inside Iran and back in headquarters were involved, including a special unit of Iranian operatives working for Mossad . 4 days ago · Foreign Affairs has compiled some of our best analysis of the roots of the conflict between Iran , Israel, and the United States and what comes next . Start reading below. Here’s how the Mossad and the Israeli Defence Forces pulled off Israel’s biggest strike on Iran since the 1980s. Smoke rises from Tabriz airport in Iran, June 13, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Israel’s operation against Iran caught many people off guard. Israel's military chief said Wednesday that its commandos had operated secretly inside Iran during the countries' 12-day war, as its spy chief also hailed assistance from US intelligence. 6 days ago · Iranian officials have recently reported a number of clues that they say point to Israel’s foreign intelligence service, the Mossad , being aided by operatives on the ground. They include evidence. The Iran conflict might also cause a meaningful rise in oil prices, which would embolden him to expend more resources in Ukraine. On the other hand, few if any countries would seriously consider Russia as a potential mediator between Israel and Iran . Putin has also suffered serious reputational damage for failing to come to Tehran’s rescue. Iran ' s judiciary said Monday it hanged a man arrested in 2023 and convicted of being a spy for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, as fighting raged between the two foes.