Israel Reportedly Plans Covert Operations to Target Iran’s Key Leaders

According to international media reports citing former Mossad deputy head for global operations, Oded Ailam, Israel may be preparing covert operations against Iran, potentially drawing inspiration from the 2024 pager explosions that targeted Hezbollah members in Lebanon. If Israel and the United States resume military strikes against Iran, communication devices such as pagers, beepers and walkie-talkies could reportedly become potential targets. The reports also suggest that explosive devices could have been secretly introduced into Iran through supply chains. Such covert operations could pose a serious threat, potentially causing damage beyond that of conventional ground attacks. Iran’s former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, had previously claimed that explosives were installed in centrifuges supplied for the country’s nuclear programme, linking them to the 2020 explosion at the Natanz nuclear facility.

Four Iranian Figures Reportedly on Israel’s Radar

The reports identify four influential figures who Israel allegedly believes wield significant power behind Iran’s visible political leadership: IRGC Commander-in-Chief Ahmad Vahidi, Basij commander Hossein Taeb, Iranian military chief Ali Abdollahi and Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei. They are reportedly suspected of influencing major national decisions and obstructing a possible agreement with the United States. The reports further allege that these figures played a role in the violent suppression of protests in January and in decisions concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Israel is said to be considering covert operations against them, despite the security measures they may have adopted to protect themselves from possible US-Israeli airstrikes. However, these claims and reported plans have not been independently confirmed.