A Decade of Shadow Work, With More to Come
Revealed: Mossad Mapped Iran’s Nuclear Program for a Decade Before Operation Rising Lion
Israeli Mossad agents conducted over a decade of covert intelligence operations in Iran, enabling Operation Rising Lion to devastate Iran’s nuclear program, which was weeks from operational capability by late 2024. The strikes, lauded by IDF and defense officials, have set back Iran’s ambitions for years, with Israel vowing to enforce strict measures against future threats.
For over a decade, Israeli Mossad agents conducted covert operations inside Iran, meticulously mapping the country’s nuclear infrastructure since 2010 to prepare for potential military strikes, a British newspaper revealed. The intelligence gathered targeted centrifuge production facilities in Tehran and Isfahan, as well as major nuclear sites like Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, which were later struck during Israel’s Operation Rising Lion in June 2025. The agents’ work extended to lesser-known facilities, including Revolutionary Guard research sites and weapons production centers in Sanjarian, and the SPND organization’s military sites in Isfahan. Leaked documents indicate that by late 2024, Iran was mere weeks from achieving operational nuclear capability, underscoring the urgency of the operation.
The precise intelligence enabled Israel’s devastating strikes, which destroyed key enrichment facilities and crippled Iran’s nuclear ambitions. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, in closed discussions reported on June 27, 2025, declared, “Iran is no longer a nuclear threshold state.” He highlighted that the extensive damage to Iran’s scientists, facilities, and reactors could take years to repair, effectively dismantling decades of progress. The operation, coordinated with U.S. strikes under Operation Midnight Hammer, targeted critical infrastructure and eliminated key personnel, including 11 senior nuclear scientists.
Defense Minister Yisrael Katz reinforced this success, announcing that he had directed the IDF to develop an enforcement strategy to maintain air superiority, block Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and counter its support for terrorism. “The goal is to force the Iranian regime into a dilemma: whether it is worth investing years and billions of dollars into rebuilding these capabilities, knowing that Israel will strike again,” Katz stated. He issued a stark warning to Iran’s leadership: “I suggest that the head of the toothless snake in Tehran understand and beware, Operation Rising Lion was just a preview of Israel’s new policy. After October 7, immunity is over.” This shift reflects Israel’s post-2023 Hamas attack doctrine, prioritizing preemptive action against existential threats.