'Eli Cohens inside Iran': How Israel's war exposed deep infiltration and intelligence gaps

When Israel launched a surprise 12-day assault on Iran in June, Tehran and the world were caught off guard. Few anticipated such a move, particularly while Iran was engaged in sensitive nuclear negotiations with the United States.

Sources told Middle East Eye that a handful of countries had warned Iranian authorities about suspicious Israeli movements. Yet despite heightened alert levels, Tehran was ultimately blindsided when the attack materialised. 

The nature of the attack and the ease with which it was executed sent shockwaves through Iran’s political and security establishment. Behind the scenes, covert Mossad agents, paid informants, and a network of operatives - many allegedly embedded among Afghan migrants - are believed to have facilitated the strikes.

An Iranian source in the conservatives' camp told MEE that Israel had long stationed agents inside Iran, observing the movements of officials. The source added that a series of cyber intrusions into Iranian banks and government institutions may have compromised personal data - including phone numbers and addresses of high-level figures and their families - paving the way for deeper penetration.

"There have been some Eli Cohens inside the Islamic Republic too," the source remarked, referencing the infamous Israeli spy executed in Syria.

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