Former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen Reveals Extensive Israeli Intelligence Activity at Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Site

Yossi Cohen, former head of Mossad from 2016 to 2021, disclosed at the Galilee Conference that Israeli intelligence operatives have repeatedly visited Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility to gather critical information. Speaking in a closed lecture not permitted for broadcast, Cohen described these visits as part of deep intelligence operations aimed at understanding the sensitive nuclear site.

Cohen expressed that the reported U.S. airstrikes on Fordow represented the fulfillment of his long-held aspirations regarding Iran’s nuclear threat. He clarified that despite recent American attacks, Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 60 percent purity remains insufficient for an immediate nuclear weapon, attempting to temper fears of an imminent Iranian bomb.

The Fordow site, heavily fortified and built deep inside a mountain, is a central enrichment facility for Iran’s nuclear program. Cohen’s admission of Mossad’s extensive activity there is a rare confirmation of Israel’s deep intelligence penetration into one of Iran’s most protected nuclear locations.

Cohen’s remarks come amid recent upheavals within Mossad, including the dismissal of senior intelligence officials following a failed operation to overthrow the Iranian regime. His comments also contrast with earlier U.S. claims by then-President Donald Trump, who announced that American strikes had completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities. Subsequent intelligence assessments, including a Pentagon report leaked shortly after Trump’s speech, contradicted this, indicating that the damage was far from total and that Iran’s nuclear program remains largely intact.

The Galilee Conference organizers noted that Cohen’s lecture was closed and could not be fully disclosed, but his statements provide a rare glimpse into Israel’s covert efforts against Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the ongoing challenges in curbing Tehran’s nuclear development.