Editor-DN
Ismail Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Masoud Pizshakyan.
New Delhi:
Israel’s elite intelligence agency Mossad enlisted Iranian security agents to plant explosives in a building in Tehran where Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the armed Palestinian group Hamas, was staying. Reported.
The initial plan was to assassinate Haniyeh during a visit to Tehran in May for the funeral of former Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi. According to two Iranian officials who spoke to the Telegraph, the operation was halted due to overcrowding, which carried a high risk of failure.
So the operation had to be altered. Two agents acting under the direction of the Mossad planted explosives in three separate rooms of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) guesthouse in northern Tehran. This location was chosen strategically because it was likely that Haniya would stay there.
How does the Mossad work?
With a $3 billion annual budget and 7,000-strong staff, the Mossad is the West’s second-largest spy agency after the CIA.
The Mossad has several departments, but the details of its internal structure are largely hidden. He has a network of informants and agents not only within Palestinian militant groups, but also in hostile countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Iran. The intelligence agency’s extensive spying network provides them with intimate information about the movements of militant leaders, enabling them to carry out precision assassinations when required.
Explanation | How does the Mossad work and why did it fail to stop the Hamas attack?
The Special Operations Division, also known as Metsada, conducts highly sensitive assassination, sabotage, paramilitary, and psychological warfare operations.
Operation for removal of Hania
According to The Telegraph, surveillance footage held by Iranian authorities shows the agents moving stealthily, entering and exiting multiple rooms within minutes. After planting the devices, they exited Iran but maintained a source inside the country. Early Wednesday, at 2 a.m., operatives detonated explosives in the room where Haniyeh was staying.
The explosion killed Haniya, who was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Massoud Pizshakyan. The killing was confirmed by officials within the IRGC, who believe the Mossad employed agents from the Ansar al-Mahdi Protection Unit, a group responsible for protecting high-ranking officials inside and outside the country.
“This is a humiliation for Iran and a major security breach,” an IRGC official told The Telegraph. The official added that a special working group has been set up to devise a strategy to reduce the perception of the breach.
Possible effects
In response to this breach, the IRGC is considering its options for retaliation. A direct attack on Tel Aviv, possibly involving Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies, is reportedly a primary option under evaluation.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that destroyed Iran’s political and social structures, the country has made a conscious effort to expand its influence throughout the Middle East with proxy groups.
Explanation | Axis of Resistance and Iran’s Proxy Network in the Middle East
The Quds Force, one of five branches of the IRGC, specializing in intelligence and covert operations, serves as the main point of contact for these proxy groups, helping them to bolster Iran’s regional agenda. Provides weapons and training for
The timing of the assassination, along with President Pyzhashkian’s first day in office, raises suspicions about his motives. During his election campaign, President Pizshakyan pledged to withdraw from the provocative policies of the Islamic Republic and restore Iran’s position through negotiations.
President Pizshakyan, a veteran lawmaker and cardiac surgeon, has long supported domestic and international reforms in Iran. His victory in recent elections has been seen as a call for change as he is generally unhappy with the hard-line policies of his predecessors. But the dynamics of Iranian politics, where hardliners still hold a majority and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei retains ultimate authority, will test Mr. Pyzhashkian’s ability to implement his vision.
