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3. Israel Says Exposed Iranian “Covert Terror Network” Targeting Officials and Strategic Sites

The Israeli government released a statement Monday announcing that its intelligence services have uncovered a secret Iranian-operated network responsible for planning attacks against Israeli officials and strategic infrastructure worldwide.

According to a post on X by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has for the first time exposed what they describe as a covert terror mechanism operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), allegedly tasked with carrying out assassination plots and attacks against Israeli and Western targets abroad.

The statement says the disclosure follows a series of airstrikes carried out during last year’s Twelve-Day War, which reportedly targeted senior figures within the alleged network. Israeli authorities also said the operation was accompanied by international intelligence cooperation leading to arrests and interrogations of individuals suspected of involvement in Iran-linked cells.

Plots in Azerbaijan

Among the incidents cited was the disruption of what Israel describes as a planned terrorist infrastructure in Azerbaijan. According to the statement, the cell was allegedly preparing attacks against the BTC oil pipeline running through Georgia and Turkey, as well as Israeli and Jewish sites including the Israeli Embassy in Baku, a synagogue, and figures within the local Jewish community.

Israeli authorities claim members of the cell were arrested by Azerbaijani security forces while in possession of explosive drones and other devices allegedly smuggled into the country. The group is also accused of conducting surveillance on potential targets, including physical monitoring and photography, under direction from handlers based in Iran.

Command structure

The Israeli statement further identifies a chain of command within the alleged network, which it says is linked to IRGC intelligence structures responsible for external operations. It claims senior figures within this structure were involved in directing recruitment, training, and deployment of operatives tasked with intelligence gathering and planning attacks against Israeli and Western interests abroad.

Several individuals named in the statement are said by Israel to have been killed in previous military operations, including strikes attributed to the Israeli Air Force with intelligence support from Israeli agencies.

The statement also says that IRGC-linked operatives have conducted surveillance and planning activities across Europe, the Middle East, and other regions, including attempts to collect intelligence on military installations and critical infrastructure.

It further claims that Iran has used its security and intelligence apparatus in recent years to advance numerous plots targeting Israeli, Jewish, and Western interests, sometimes in coordination with regional proxy groups.

Israeli Assessment

Israel’s security establishment said the exposure of the alleged network demonstrates what it describes as Iran’s continued efforts to operate covertly abroad while maintaining plausible deniability. It added that the disruption of these alleged structures represents a significant setback to Iran’s ability to conduct external operations.

The Mossad, Israel Defense Forces, and Shin Bet said they will continue working with international partners to counter what they describe as Iranian-backed threats against Israeli and global targets.