In the context of the conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran, international news has recently brought the Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence service, back into the spotlight. Mossad participated in an operation carried out with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), which led to the elimination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
An intelligence agency created to protect Israel
Mossad was officially founded in 1949shortly after the creation of the State of Israel. Its full name in Hebrew means “ Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations “. The agency reports directly to the office of Prime Minister Israeli and focuses primarily on overseas operations.
Its main mission is to collect information on the threats against Israel, analyze this information and to carry out operations clandestine to protect the strategic interests of the country. Mossad’s activities include espionage, sabotage, counterterrorism, and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
From its beginnings, the agency has distinguished itself with spectacular operations. One of the most famous remains the capture of Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires in 1960, a mission that helped establish the service’s international reputation.
MOSSAD: a very secret organization
The Mossad operates as a highly compartmentalized organization. This means that the different units only know the information necessary for their mission, in order to protect the secrecy of operations.
The agency is headed by a director appointed by the Prime Minister. Under his authority, several specialized departments operate:
- The department of intelligence collectionresponsible for recruiting informants and undercover agents in different countries.
- The department ofanalysiswhich interprets the information collected and advises Israeli political leaders.
- The department technologicalresponsible for cyber operations and monitoring tools.
- The division of special operationswhich conducts clandestine missions, including sabotage and targeted assassinations.
Within this structure is a particularly well-known unit: Kidonspecializing in operations to eliminate targets deemed dangerous for the security of Israel. This unit would have been created in the 1970s and acts on extremely confidential missions.
Methods of action: espionage, infiltration and cyber-surveillance
The Mossad relies on several methods to conduct its operations. The first is HUMINT (Human Intelligence), which consists of recruit informants and undercover agents in governmentsenemy armies or organizations.
The agency also uses SIGINT (Signal Intelligence), that is to say the interception of communications, as well as cyber espionage techniques and digital surveillance.
These methods allow Mossad to closely monitor the activities of its adversaries. According to certain media investigations, large-scale cyber-surveillance operations have, for example, enabled Israeli services to follow the movements and habits of Iranian leaders for several years.
The Mossad also carries out clandestine actions on the ground, ranging from industrial sabotage to the infiltration of military infrastructures. In 2025, agents would have participated in secret operations in Iran involving drones and sabotage against military installations.
MOSSAD, shrouded in mystery and controversy
Despite its reputation for effectiveness, the Mossad remains a controversial organization. Its clandestine operations, notably targeted assassinations or sabotage actions abroad regularly give rise to criticism in terms of international law.
Some missions have also failed or caused diplomatic incidents. The so-called Lillehammer affair in 1973, during which Israeli agents mistakenly killed a Moroccan waiter in Lillehammer, for example, greatly tarnished the agency’s image.
Despite these controversies, the Mossad remains one of the intelligence services the most influential in the world. Its ability to carry out discreet operations, to infiltrate opposing networks and to cooperate with other agencies makes it a major player in contemporary geopolitical balances.
