Eli Cohen 2.0 inside Iran? How Tehran is losing the intelligence war

From Eli Cohen to AI-driven espionage, Israel has turned infiltration into its sharpest weapon. For Iran, the real threat isn't missiles at its borders, but invisible enemies within, quietly mapping targets and striking with precision.

In the 1960s, Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy disguised as businessman Kamel Amin Thabet, successfully infiltrated Syria’s corridors of power. Cohen planted eucalyptus trees near Syrian army posts to help the Israeli Air Force identify bombing targets. He was eventually executed by hanging, but left a legacy proving that penetrating the enemy’s inner circle is the real victory.

Decades later, a similar but more advanced strategy is unfolding on Iranian soil. Iran is unable to gauge how many 'Eli Cohens' operate within its own ranks. Mossad has woven a network using technology and internal dissenters, severely compromising Iran’s security.

The killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in July 2024 at a heavily guarded guest house in Tehran shocked the world. The attack was not a missile strike but the detonation of an IED planted months earlier in his room.

This incident was a stark warning for Iran. It showed that Mossad was not only attacking from outside but had already breached supposedly invulnerable security layers. Iranian agencies continued focusing on external threats while the danger festered within. Mossad demonstrated it could strike anyone, anywhere, even in Tehran’s most secure locations.

The recent conflict began with what military history may record as a major intelligence failure for Iran. Within the first hour, Israel targeted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his top military advisors. This indicated Israel’s precise knowledge of their locations and movements.

Mossad combined signals intelligence and human intelligence to strike before Khamenei reached his secure bunker. The attack was designed to cripple Iran’s entire command and control system. Reports suggest Khamenei intended to sacrifice himself, as women and children from his family were also killed.