Mossad’s masterstroke? Israeli spies may have used Ukraine’s SBU playbook to shatter Iran’s missile shield

Israel's attack across Iran on Friday was launched to strike its nuclear and missile programs under "Operation Rising Lion", which took years of planning, including building a drone base inside Iran and smuggling precision weapons systems and commandos into the country, as per reports.

Inside Operation Rising Lion

An Israeli security source revealed to Ynet News that Israel's attack on Iran was a joint effort by the IDF, Mossad and Israel's defence industries, as per Ynet News.

"Operation Rising Lion" was accomplished with the help of a cooperation between Mossad and the military’s Intelligence Directorate, which prepared detailed intelligence files for the precision strikes to attack crucial figures in Iran’s security establishment and nuclear program, according to the report.

Israel's Three-Phase Attack Strategy

Along with these efforts, a parallel covert campaign was planned to target Iran’s strategic missile arsenal and its air defence systems, and the operation, which had been planned for a long time, unfolded along three principal axes, reported Ynet News.

The official told Ynet News that Mossad commando units had already placed high-precision guided weapons in open areas near Iran’s surface-to-air missile batteries, as per the report. So, when the air campaign began, those weapons which were deployed were remotely activated and struck their targets simultaneously with exceptional accuracy, reported Ynet News.

The second phase started with advanced strike systems being launched from hidden vehicles, which were smuggled into Iran, disabled the air defence sites and cleared the way for Israeli fighter jets to operate freely, as per the report.

For the third phase, a drone base had been set up near Tehran by Mossad agents before the operation, and then explosive-laden drones were launched overnight toward surface-to-surface missile launchers at the Asfajaabad base, which was one of the most threatening sites to Israel, reported Ynet News.

The security official told The Times of Israel that the operations depended on “groundbreaking thinking, bold planning and surgical operation of advanced technologies, special forces and agents operating in the heart of Iran while totally evading the eyes of local intelligence,” as quoted in the report.

FAQs

How did Mossad operate inside Iran?
Mossad agents allegedly smuggled weapons, set up a drone base near Tehran, and deployed commando units who placed guided munitions near Iranian missile defence sites.

What was hit in the first phase?
High-precision guided weapons, hidden in advance by Mossad, were remotely activated to strike surface-to-air missile batteries, clearing Iran's defensive shield.