The Prime Minister's Office, on behalf of the Mossad and Shin Bet, disclosed new details of a foiled Iranian Ministry of Intelligence plot to infiltrate a foreign operative cell into Israel and target senior officials. The plot employed a 'proxy by proxy' criminal network, with handler Asadallah Behzad Okhsari—killed during Operation Roaring Lion—identified as a key figure, according to the statement.
The Prime Minister’s Office, in a statement released Thursday afternoon at 17:32 Jerusalem, identified the Iranian handler killed in the foiled proxy plot as Asadallah Behzad Okhsari, who was eliminated during Operation Roaring Lion. This latest detail completes the disclosure, which earlier revealed that the plot, orchestrated by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS), used a "proxy by proxy" criminal network to recruit operatives. The statement, issued on behalf of Mossad and Shin Bet, also named a France-based operative codenamed Philippe (Thures Ozkor), who was deported from France, and two criminal proxies currently residing in Iran.
The PMO’s announcement unfolded in three stages, all published at 17:32 Jerusalem. The initial version (v1) disclosed the foiled plot and the deportation of the cell leader from France. A second version (v2) added the operative’s codename and the role of criminal proxies. The third version (v3) confirmed that handler Okhsari was killed during the war, with the PMO later specifying that the elimination occurred as part of Operation Roaring Lion. The thread shows that corroboration of the handler’s death evolved from a general wartime reference to a specific operation.
The elimination of Okhsari is part of the broader Operation Roaring Lion, which The Zioneer has reported on extensively. As The Zioneer noted on June 25, 2026, an IRGC-affiliated channel acknowledged that Seyed Yehia Hosseini Panjaki, a slain Iranian intelligence deputy, was killed in the opening strike of the same operation. The operation reflects an ongoing Israeli campaign against Iranian intelligence networks.
The PMO statement did not specify which senior officials were targeted, nor the exact timeline of the plot’s detection and disruption. It also remains unclear whether all members of the proxy network have been detained or neutralized.
6 developments
- DevelopingReport: French citizen recruited by Iran formed cell to infiltrate Israel; handler killed in 'Roaring Lion'
- StrongMossad says it foiled Iranian plot to infiltrate Israel, attack senior officials
- DevelopingAFP: Senior Mossad agent who helped eliminate 4 Hezbollah figures arrested at Beirut airport
- StrongReports: Mossad foiled Iranian assassination attempt against Yair Netanyahu in Miami
Source and signal
- Internal intake