The Mossad will continue to take determined action to prevent attacks on Jews and Israelis around the world, the agency stated.
By United with Israel Staff
The Mossad, Israel’s world-renowned national intelligence agency, revealed details Thursday evening on an operation that thwarted an Iranian terrorist cell earlier this week. The attack was aimed at Israeli tourists in Cyprus.
In a counterterrorist operation on Iranian soil, the Mossad abducted Yusef Shahabazi Abbasalilu, head of the cell, who gave his investigators a detailed confession.
Abbasalilu had received specific instructions and weapons from senior Revolutionary Guards personnel in Iran. During questioning, he admitted his involvement in the attempted attack and described how he tried to carry it out.
Breaking: In a counter-terrorist operation on Iranian soil, the Mossad apprehended the head of a terror cell which planned on attacking Israelis in Cyprus, thwarting the attack.
Senior Mossad official: “We will reach whoever foments terrorism against Jews and Israelis around the… pic.twitter.com/G7jrNN2eUQ
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 29, 2023
In the wake of the information that he gave to investigators, the cell was dismantled in an operation by the Cypriot security services.
“We will reach whoever foments terrorism against Jews and Israelis around the world, including on Iranian soil,” a senior Mossad official stated.
The uncovering of the cell follows a series of arrests in Cyprus last week in which Iranian activity on Cypriot soil was revealed in a continuing effort to carry out terrorist attacks and harm Israelis and Jews around the world.
“We are working without respite against the attempts of Iran and its proxies to open terrorist fronts against us – in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and in Judea and Samaria,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was attending a graduation ceremony for IDF pilots Sunday night at Hatzerim Air Force Base, said at the event.
“We are also working against Iran’s efforts to develop terrorist cells and capabilities in neighboring countries, which are not countries in conflict with us.
“We will not allow Iran to establish itself on our borders. We will not allow it to build precision weapons factories in Lebanon and Syria. And, of course, we will not accept Iran’s intentions to develop a nuclear arsenal,” he stated.
Furthermore, “even if an agreement is signed between the US and Iran regarding the latter’s nuclear program, we will not be bound by this agreement.
“We will maintain our right and our obligation to defend ourselves, with our own forces, against any threat whatsoever, throughout the Middle East. The Air Force has, and will have, a very important role in this.”