Iran’s Intelligence Ministry has reported multiple arrests today related to a move against a “large and sophisticated Israeli terror and sabotage network.” The agency says the arrests were the result of months of operations and that parts of the network were planning fresh attacks.
Israeli officials termed the report “baseless,” and claimed they were a form of “psychological warfare.” They provided no additional details on the arrests, however, and gave no comments of the report that explosives and communications equipment were seized in the raids.
The lack of specific details makes it impossible to confirm that Iran actually did uncover an Israeli sabotage network, but the existence of such programs is not in serious doubt, as Israeli officials have regularly gloated over assassinations and bombings in Iran.
The depth of Israel’s covert operations is unknown. In January it was revealed that Israel had for years been funding the Jundallah terrorist organization, and had even managed to frame the CIA in the process by using US passports and cash to convince the faction that they were doing business with the American spy agency, and not Israel’s Mossad.
