INTEL READS: From pager bombs to silent kills: How Mossad became one of the world’s most feared intelligence agencies (via mathrubhumi.com)
Intel Reads | Ujasusi Blog Originals
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Formed in 1949, Israel’s national intelligence agency, Mossad, is one of the most secretive and formidable espionage organisations in the world. Operating well beyond Israel’s borders, Mossad is responsible for gathering foreign intelligence, conducting counterterrorism operations, and executing covert missions that influence global geopolitics.
Short for HaMossad leModiʿin uleTafkidim Meyuḥadim—“Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations”—the agency reports directly to the Israeli Prime Minister and functions independently from the country’s military apparatus. Over the decades, it has developed a reputation built on stealth, precision, and ruthlessness.
Mossad is known for its unconventional tactics: psychological manipulation, forged identities, honey traps, and deep-cover infiltration. Its global network of sayanim (voluntary Jewish helpers abroad) supports operatives who often work under non-official cover, making them nearly impossible to detect. Agents are extensively trained in surveillance, multiple languages, cyberwarfare, and close combat, blending classic tradecraft with modern technology.
From capturing Nazi fugitives in South America to launching cyberattacks inside Iranian nuclear facilities, Mossad’s missions often read like high-octane thrillers. It has been praised for its effectiveness and criticised for its secrecy and collateral damage. Whether through exploding walkie-talkies, doctored toothpaste, or remote hacks, Mossad’s tactics continue to evolve in a world of hybrid warfare.
Israel carried out a surprise attack on Iran last week, targeting high-level military and nuclear assets with extraordinary precision. Using a combination of human intelligence and advanced AI, Israeli forces smuggled drones and launched airstrikes that crippled Iran’s air defenses and eliminated key generals and scientists. While Israeli officials remained largely silent, former Mossad research chief Sima Shine confirmed the operation’s strategic depth, reinforcing its roots in long-term covert planning.
Here’s a look at some of the agency’s most legendary missions that have made it both feared and revered across the globe.
Wrath of God
The 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, where 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian group Black September, prompted a brutal Mossad-led response. Dubbed “Wrath of God,” the mission aimed to eliminate individuals linked to the attack and members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).
The operation began in Rome with the assassination of Wael Zwaiter, followed by Mahmoud Hamshari in Paris, whose home was rigged with a telephone-triggered bomb. In 1973, Mossad agents and Israeli commandos entered Beirut, killing several high-ranking PLO members including Muhammad Youssef al-Najjar.
The campaign stretched over years and multiple countries. However, it wasn’t without blunders. In Norway, Mossad agents mistakenly killed an innocent Moroccan waiter in Lillehammer, mistaking him for a Black September leader. Six agents were arrested and convicted, tarnishing the operation’s reputation.
Entebbe
In 1976, Mossad intelligence was pivotal in rescuing hostages from a hijacked Air France flight diverted to Uganda. Four hijackers—two from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and two German extremists—took the aircraft with 248 passengers and 12 crew members.
At Uganda’s Entebbe Airport, the hijackers, backed by dictator Idi Amin, separated Jewish and Israeli passengers, demanding the release of 53 prisoners. Mossad gathered precise intelligence, enabling Israeli commandos to storm the terminal in a 53-minute operation on July 4, freeing 102 of 105 hostages. The operation became a blueprint for counterterrorism missions worldwide.
The Eli Cohen story
Eli Cohen’s infiltration of the Syrian regime remains one of Mossad’s most celebrated feats. Initially rejected by Mossad, Cohen joined the agency after a two-year stint as a clerk in an insurance firm. Under the alias Kamel Amin Thabet, a Syrian businessman based in Argentina, Cohen moved to Damascus in 1962. There, he cultivated close ties with top Syrian officials and even hosted social gatherings where he gathered intelligence while pretending to be inebriated.
His reports, smuggled back to Israel, provided critical intelligence on Syrian military infrastructure, particularly in the Golan Heights. Cohen became so influential he was appointed an adviser to the Syrian defence ministry. Eventually caught while transmitting information in 1965, he was hanged publicly. His intelligence played a significant role in Israel’s strategic advantage during the Six-Day War in 1967, and he remains a national icon.
Stuxnet Cyberattack
Mossad has evolved with the digital age, and its suspected collaboration with the U.S. NSA on the Stuxnet cyberattack against Iran exemplifies this shift. Targeting Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, the malware began infiltrating centrifuge systems around 2007.
Designed to subtly alter rotor speeds while feeding false sensor data, the virus crippled up to 2,000 of 9,000 centrifuges, setting Iran’s nuclear programme back by two years. The operation wasn’t officially confirmed but is widely believed to be a joint Israeli-American effort. Stuxnet’s discovery in 2010 marked a new frontier in cyber warfare.
Pager bombs
In one of its boldest operations, Mossad targeted Hezbollah by turning everyday communication devices into deadly weapons. In September last year, thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by the Iran-backed group exploded within a day of each other.
At least 42 people, including Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, were killed and over 3,500 injured. The explosive devices were inserted during production, with Mossad infiltrating the supply chain through a complex web of shell companies. While the operation demonstrated Mossad’s ingenuity, it also faced criticism for civilian casualties, including children, and sparked debate over the use of consumer electronics in warfare.
Wadie Haddad assassination
Mossad’s creativity was also evident in the 1978 poisoning of Wadie Haddad, a Palestinian militant leader involved in numerous hijackings. Haddad was targeted for his role in the 1976 Entebbe hijacking.
An agent known only as “Agent Sadness” managed to swap Haddad’s toothpaste with one laced with a slow-acting toxin developed at Israel’s Institute for Biological Research. The poison accumulated in his system, eventually causing fatal symptoms. Despite being flown to East Berlin and treated by top doctors under an alias, Haddad died weeks later. Only decades later did details of the assassination emerge, confirming Mossad’s involvement.
Legacy of precision and controversy
Mossad’s reputation for executing daring, complex missions with strategic precision has earned it global recognition. Popular culture has further mythologised its operations, with films like ‘Munich’ and ‘The Angel’ portraying its storied past.