Former Mossad Official Suggests Surprise Strikes on Iranian Leadership
Oded Ailam suggests Israel could use undisclosed operational capabilities to target top Iranian military leaders in a surprise operation similar to the 2024 pager explosions.
Former Mossad deputy head of global operations Oded Ailam stated that Israel possesses undisclosed operational capabilities that could be used to target Iran's military leadership. Ailam proposed a surprise operation modeled after the September 2024 pager explosions in Lebanon to target four key figures: Major General Ahmad Vahidi, Hossein Taeb, Ali Abdollahi, and Mohsen Rezaei. He argued that such a move would destabilize the Iranian military command by inducing psychological pressure and internal suspicion.
Parallel discussions involving retired Israeli General Yaakov Amidror and retired American General Jack Keane focused on broader military targets. These include strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, missile factories, and energy infrastructure. Amidror suggested that Iranian attacks could prompt a sweeping Israeli response against the Iranian energy sector.
These assessments follow the deployment of the USS Theodore Roosevelt toward the region after U.S. midterm elections. While Ailam's comments represent potential options rather than a confirmed plan, security experts warn that such operations could trigger substantial Iranian retaliation against civilian and energy targets in Israel and the Persian Gulf.
