In a dramatic escalation of its public messaging, Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad has openly named and pictured Iranian Quds Force commanders, accusing them of orchestrating a sprawling global network to target Jews and Israelis. The announcement, delivered through Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on October 27, 2025, did more than just point fingers—it signaled a possible return to the era of high-profile targeted assassinations, a tactic that has defined the shadowy conflict between Israel and Iran for decades.
The statement, reported by WANA, specifically identified a Quds Force commander known as Amar, whom Israel claims was involved in failed plots in Greece, Germany, and Australia. Mossad also unveiled the existence of a unit called Group 11,000, reportedly under the direct command of Esmail Qaani, the Quds Force chief, and tasked with executing overseas operations against Israeli targets. In an unusual move, Israel even published what it described as the organizational chart of this group—a gesture that many observers saw as more of a warning than a genuine intelligence leak.
According to WANA, this public exposure of Iranian commanders and operational structures comes at a time when Israel’s security establishment is grappling with a crisis of confidence. The aftermath of the Gaza war, ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah along the northern border, repeated clashes with Yemen, and Iran’s demonstrated precision strikes have all contributed to a growing sense among Israelis that their nation’s once-impenetrable “intelligence shield” may be faltering. The Mossad’s announcement, therefore, appears aimed as much at restoring domestic morale as it is at deterring Iranian action.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s spokesman, David Mendlait, left little room for ambiguity in a statement on October 24: “Iran is the greatest threat to Jewish citizens worldwide, and we are ready to confront it anywhere in the world.” As of October 27, Iran has issued no official response to these declarations. Some analysts, as cited by WANA, suggest that Tehran’s silence is a calculated move, reflecting a broader policy of restraint as the global balance of power tilts eastward, with Iran, Russia, and China forming a new axis of influence. Yet, Iranian commentators warn that any renewed campaign of targeted killings could shatter the current fragile ceasefire in the region.
The stakes are already high. Lebanon has recently witnessed the ninth assassination of a Hezbollah commander, Sayyed Ali Nour al-Din al-Moussawi, following the earlier killings of Hassan Karki, the group’s logistics chief, and Zain al-Abidin Fattouani, head of its anti-tank unit. Security analysts in Beirut believe Mossad is employing a “bottom-up” strategy—systematically eliminating mid-level commanders in hopes of destabilizing the upper echelons of the resistance network.
But history offers a sobering lesson. As WANA points out, previous assassinations—such as those of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the Iranian nuclear scientist killed in 2020, Imad Mughniyeh, Hezbollah’s military commander assassinated in Damascus in 2008, and Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary-general killed by Israel in 2024—have failed to cripple the broader resistance. Instead, each killing has galvanized Iran and its allies, prompting them to adapt and reorganize.
Amid this backdrop, rumors swirled on October 11 that General Esmail Qaani, the Quds Force chief, had himself been assassinated. But investigative follow-up, as reported by WANA, confirmed these claims were baseless and unfounded—a reminder of the information warfare now running parallel to the physical conflict.
Meanwhile, the military dimension of this rivalry has only intensified. On October 26, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a statement recalling its airstrikes one year earlier, on October 1, 2024, against Iranian military targets. These strikes, carried out in retaliation for a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles, targeted production facilities for more missiles and dismantled the last three S-300 air defense systems in Iran’s arsenal. According to Fox News and IDF sources, these attacks—launched from US-provided F-35 jets—left Iran’s airspace “naked” and resulted in the deaths of one Iranian civilian and four military personnel.
The IDF further asserted that the success of these strikes paved the way for Operation ‘Rising Lion’ in June 2025, which targeted top Iranian commanders, nuclear scientists, and sensitive facilities. These operations reportedly killed hundreds of Iranian military personnel and civilians. Tehran’s response was swift and devastating: over 500 ballistic missiles and 1,100 drones were launched, causing widespread destruction and killing 32 Israeli civilians and one off-duty soldier.
Against this backdrop of open warfare and covert operations, Iran’s navy has emerged as a new focal point of concern. As detailed in recent analyses, the Islamic Republic operates two navies: the regular Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, with bases in Bandar Abbas, Jask, Chabahar, Bandar Anzali, Bushehr, Mahshahr, Asaluyeh, and Lengeh. Both forces operate in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global energy supplies.
Iran has also been transforming commercial vessels into “floating bases” for intelligence gathering and naval operations. Ships like the M/V Saviz and M/V Behshad, for example, are used to collect maritime intelligence, support Houthi attacks, and deploy drones and radar systems. Fast-attack boats and specialized intelligence units further threaten Israeli and international maritime traffic.
Recent incidents underscore the volatility of the region’s maritime front. In April 2025, a mishandled shipment of ammonium perchlorate from China exploded at Shahid Rajaee port, highlighting the risks of Iran’s ongoing efforts to bolster its missile arsenal. In July, Yemeni National Resistance Forces intercepted 750 tons of smuggled arms and precursors from Bandar Abbas, including materials for missile and explosives production.
Some security experts advocate for Israel to launch covert strikes against Iranian ports, naval academies, and island bases, as well as to target senior commanders like Ali Fadavi and Alireza Tangsiri. The goal: to degrade Iran’s maritime capabilities, disrupt its intelligence networks, and limit its ability to support regional proxies. Such operations, they argue, would force Tehran to divert scarce resources from its nuclear and missile programs to rebuild its navy—a costly trade-off for the already embattled regime.
Yet, the risks of further escalation are real. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has signaled a steadfast refusal to compromise on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, making renewed military conflict seem all but inevitable. The specter of a “cycle of retaliation” looms ever larger, with each side testing the other’s resolve and capabilities.
As the region stands on a knife’s edge, the question remains: are these public threats and targeted killings a genuine bid for deterrence—or the opening moves of another, even more destructive round of conflict? For now, both Israel and Iran appear locked in a dangerous dance, each seeking to project strength while avoiding the misstep that could tip the balance into open war.
