Mossad chief says Israel retains operational capabilities inside Iran
Barnea asserts capabilities remain active, including in Tehran, as Israel marks one-year anniversary of a high-profile operation; Netanyahu lauds the Rising Lion strike.
Israel's Mossad Director David Barnea said the agency still maintains operational capabilities inside Iran and will continue to act, including within Tehran, as the country marked the one-year anniversary of a high-profile operation that decimated Iran's air-defense system and severely damaged its nuclear facilities.
Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Award ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Barnea asserted that Iran remains penetrable and that the Mossad would not ease its watch. "We have won, and we will continue to win," Barnea told attendees. He added that the Mossad now has "very strong operational capabilities, even more imaginative and powerful than before — especially inside Iran and even in the heart of Tehran."
Netanyahu, who attended the ceremony, lauded the 12-day strike against Iran and its air-defense network, and he highlighted the operation's impact on Tehran's nuclear program. He described the mission as "Operation Rising Lion," explaining that the name reflected the resilience of the Iranian people. "This operation was done with great effort, one of which was very great," he said. "I decided to call it 'Operation Rising Lion'. Why a lion? Because the people rose up. The entire people rose up."
The ceremony also marked the one-year anniversary of the infamous beeper operation that killed at least nine and injured thousands of Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, a milestone Netanyahu and security officials have cited as evidence of Israel’s willingness to act beyond its borders.
Barnea's remarks underscored a broader Israeli stance toward Iran, emphasizing that Tehran's nuclear ambitions remain a central threat and that cross-border operations will continue as part of a persistent effort to curb Tehran's military capabilities.
Analysts say the Mossad chief's comments reflect a continued emphasis on intelligence collection and targeted action as key elements of Israel's strategy toward Iran, even as regional dynamics evolve and diplomatic avenues remain constrained. The statements also illustrate how Israeli authorities frame recent operations as part of a long-running effort to deter Tehran from advancing its nuclear and ballistic programs.
Furthermore, officials emphasized the need to keep a close watch on developments behind Iran’s closed doors, with Barnea repeating a commitment to monitor Tehran from within and to prevent any ideas that could jeopardize security from taking root. The remarks come as Iran pursues a sensitive nuclear program and as tensions in the region persist, including facets of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and broader regional rivalries.
As the one-year mark of the beeper operation passes, Israeli officials say the country will continue to prioritize intelligence activity and rapid response options to deter threats from Iran and its regional allies, while maintaining vigilance across all fronts. The Mossad leadership has signaled that the organization will pursue a proactive posture, leveraging its enhanced capabilities to detect, disrupt, and neutralize threats before they materialize, even if that means operating far from Israel's borders.