How Israel secretly prepared for its most daring attack on Iran for years: Mossad agents, drone bases, smuggled weapons

sion has ruined Iran's atomic and tattered war machine leadership with airstrikes that leave a weakened Tehran with few options to retaliate, including a full-blown war that it is neither equipped for nor likely to win.

The overnight airstrikes by Israel - repeated for the second night on Friday - have ratcheted up the confrontation between the arch foes to an unprecedented level after years of war in the shadows, which burst into the open when Iran's ally Hamas attacked Israel in 2023, news agency Reuters reported.

Citing regional security sources, Reuters reported that it was unlikely that Tehran could respond with similarly effective strikes because its missile capabilities and military network in the region have been severely degraded by Israel since the Hamas attacks that triggered the Gaza war.

State news agency IRNA said Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel on Friday in retaliation. But the Israeli military said the missiles numbered fewer than 100, and most were intercepted or fell short. Israel said that so far, two persons have died in the Iranian attacks.

The Times of Israel, citing an unnamed security official, reported that Israel spent years preparing for the operation against Iran’s nuclear and missile programme. The preparation included building a drone base inside Iran and smuggling precision weapons systems and commandos into the country.

The 'Operation Rising Lion' was the result of meticulous coordination between the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Mossad intelligence agency.

The Israeli official revealed that Mossad operatives had established a covert drone base near Tehran. These drones were activated overnight to target surface-to-surface missile launchers aimed at Israel, The Times of Israel reported.

Additionally, weapon systems were smuggled into Iran via disguised vehicles. These systems helped neutralise Iranian air defences, allowing Israeli fighter jets to operate freely in Iranian airspace.

On Saturday morning, Mossad released footage of its strikes on Iranian air defence systems and ballistic missile sites. One of the covert operations included Mossad commandos positioning precision-guided missiles close to anti-aircraft installations in central Iran.

The official described the mission as a blend of “innovative strategy, daring planning, and precise execution using advanced technology, elite forces, and undercover agents operating deep within Iran—all while evading detection by Iranian intelligence.”

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