Israeli intelligence claims to have conducted an operation in Iran to apprehend the alleged leader of a hit squad that intended to murder Israelis in Cyprus. .
The man "confessed" in detail about his instructions from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Mossad, which doesn't often speak to the media.
The cell was destroyed, according to the statement, after Cyprus authorities were notified.
The incident is the most recent illustration of the ongoing covert conflict between Israel and Iran, two countries that have been adversaries for a very long time.
According to a BBC interview with an Israeli expert, reports that the US has covertly reopened indirect negotiations with Iran to curb its nuclear program may have served as the impetus for the unusual openness of Israeli intelligence.
Israel wants to demonstrate to the world that although it may be possible to reach an agreement with Iran regarding its nuclear program, Iran still poses a much greater threat, according to journalist and author Yaakov Katz of Israel Vs Iran: The Shadow War. .
It does much more than just enrich uranium; it attempts to assassinate businessmen in regions like Europe. " .
There was no way to independently verify Israel's claims regarding the Cyprus plot, and Nicosia and Tehran have not yet responded in kind.
According to a statement, Mossad carried out "a special daring mission within Iranian territory.". According to a senior Mossad official quoted in the article, "We will track down every official who supports terrorism against Jews and Israelis anywhere in the world, including inside Iranian territory. " .
Yousef Shahabazi Abbasalilu, the primary suspect in the case, is allegedly seen speaking in Persian to a Mossad agent outside of Iran in a video that Israeli authorities claim to have released.
He talks about crossing illegally into the portion of Northern Cyprus that Turkey controls in order to kill an unnamed Israeli businessman. According to him, his handler in the potent paramilitary organization IRGC had sent him the man's picture and address.
"My plan was... if it was a quiet and empty road, after I found out he was there and where he was going, I would kill him with the weapon," the man claims.
The alleged hitman apparently left Cyprus and returned to Iran after scouting out his target and photographing his home, according to information that led to his apparent escape.
If the man is speaking under duress, it is not immediately apparent from the video.
The capture date, location, and planned time of the attack in Cyprus have not been disclosed by Mossad. .
Israel has viewed Iran as its greatest enemy for many years, citing calls from Tehran for Israel's destruction and Tehran's support of militant organizations that attack Israel. .
It suspects Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons, along with the US and Europe. Iran claims that its nuclear aspirations are benign.
Israel is said to have carried out several attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in recent years and is charged with the deaths of several Iranian nuclear scientists.
In 2018, Israel revealed that, in one of its most heinous operations, Mossad agents had broken into a warehouse in Tehran and taken a sizable number of documents related to Iran's nuclear program.
Last year, tourists were advised to leave Turkey immediately after receiving warnings about an Iranian threat to Israelis there. According to later reports, men with firearms, silencers, and ammunition were detained by Turkish forces.
Additionally, there were media reports that the Israeli intelligence service had detained and questioned two IRGC members inside Iran. A US general stationed in Germany, an Israeli diplomat in Turkey, and a journalist in France were all allegedly targets of one's assassination attempts. He was captured on an unreliable audio recording speaking.
In Yaakov Katz's opinion, the main goal of disclosing information about that case and the most recent one, in which Mossad makes direct comments, is to remind Israel's allies abroad of "the bigger threat that Iran poses to the Western world.". However, it might also be used as a deterrent.
According to Mr. Katz, "the Iranians are aware that the Israelis have done a very good job of penetrating the inner workings of their intelligence agencies and security establishment.". The Iranians will be greatly embarrassed when this is made public, and it will also demonstrate the strength of the Israeli intelligence service.
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