Ex-Mossad Chief Reveals Iran Operation Details, Hezbollah Tensions
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Former Mossad chief Dedi Barnea disclosed details of the "With All the Lions" operation in Iran, where a public video led to the arrest of 21,000 Iranians, allowing Mossad agents to evade capture. He also recounted tense moments before a Hezbollah operation, where Prime Minister Netanyahu questioned potential failure. Barnea suggested Iran's "strategic mistakes" in its 2024 attacks against Israel altered the deterrence balance.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Mossad chief Dedi Barnea revealed a video tactic led to 21,000 arrests in Iran, protecting agents.
- Barnea stated 99.9% of Mossad agents in Iran were never discovered.
- He described tense moments before a Hezbollah operation, with Netanyahu questioning potential failure.
- Barnea believes Iran's 2024 attacks allowed Israel to reassess deterrence.
- He alluded to uncertainty as a factor in future operations against Hezbollah.
Former Mossad chief Dedi Barnea revealed new details about significant Israeli operations during a recent "Priority Summit" conference. He discussed the "With All the Lions" operation in Iran, explaining that a public Mossad video of agents operating in the country was a tactical move. The goal was to cause a mass arrest of Iranians, leading to the detention of 21,000 people on the second day. This large number, Barnea stated, made it difficult for Iranian authorities to identify the actual agents, resulting in their release and ensuring that "99.9% of Mossad agents were never discovered" and continue to reside in Tehran. Barnea emphasized his personal vetting of these agents, contrasting them with pilots who received last-minute warnings.
Barnea also described the tense moments before the activation of the "beeper operation" against Hezbollah. Just ten minutes before the scheduled time, Prime Minister Netanyahu questioned the potential consequences of failure. Barnea recounted his assurance that failure was not an option, despite hundreds of prior experiments where he insisted on reducing explosives to avoid harming terrorists' families. He believes this approach, while possibly reducing casualties, inflicted severe morale damage on Hezbollah by leaving thousands of injured operatives in the streets of Dahieh.
Regarding the direct confrontation with Iran in 2024, Barnea admitted Israel felt deterred before Iran's missile and drone attacks. However, he argued that Iran's "strategic mistakes" allowed Israel and the US to assess Iran's capabilities and defense systems, thereby altering the deterrence equation. When asked about a potential "third operation" against Hezbollah, Barnea alluded to the situation in Japan after the atomic bombings, suggesting that uncertainty about future actions can be a decisive factor in surrender.