Israel’s historic strike on Iran, which targeted critical military and nuclear infrastructure, has been revealed as the result of years of covert intelligence operations led by Mossad. The operation, codenamed “Am Kelavi” (Rising Lion), was the product of unprecedented collaboration between the Israeli Air Force, the Military Intelligence Directorate, and the country’s defense industries. This coordinated effort enabled Israeli forces to gather the intelligence required to neutralize Iran’s most sensitive military and nuclear assets.
While the strike itself was an ambitious aerial campaign, the groundwork had been laid through extensive infiltration by Mossad agents working deep within Iran. According to a senior Israeli security official, the Mossad deployed a “mass of agents” operating at the highest level of penetration. Some of these agents were retrained as commando fighters to carry out mission-critical operations. The operation was described as a three-layered strike, which included the elimination of Iran’s surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile infrastructure, as well as a large number of senior scientists and key components of their air defense system.
Mossad operatives were also responsible for establishing a drone base inside Iran and retrieving the drones from hidden locations before the strike. Precise missiles were planted across the country, embedded inside rocks, and activated on command in coordination with the Israeli air force. The strike, which included attacks on Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, demonstrated the scale and precision of the operation. Natanz, located 1,500 kilometers from Israeli territory, had long been a vital component of Iran’s nuclear program. The strike aimed to cripple this facility, which was described as an underground compound containing multi-level centrifuge halls and electrical infrastructure.
Iran responded swiftly, calling the strike a “declaration of war” and replacing its killed military leaders. The operation also included the neutralization of Iran’s first wave of retaliation, which included ballistic missiles and drones that were already en route to Israel. Israeli officials emphasized that the elimination of these key scientific and military figures was the most significant achievement of the strike. Israeli analysts and officials described the operation as a “massive intelligence and sabotage campaign” unfolding in parallel with the airstrikes.