Mossad thwarts Iranian attacks on Israelis in Africa - report

Iran has been seeking to harm Israel or Israelis at sea, using cyberattacks and overseas attacks.

 The Iranian flag flies in front of the IAEA headquarters in Vienna (photo credit: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER/FILE PHOTO)
The Iranian flag flies in front of the IAEA headquarters in Vienna
(photo credit: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER/FILE PHOTO)

The Mossad has thwarted multiple attacks by Iran against Israeli tourists and businessmen in at least three African countries, Channel 12 reported on Sunday night.

According to the report, the targets were Israelis visiting Tanzania, Senegal and Ghana.

Five suspects, all with African passports, have reportedly been arrested.

Iran has been seeking to harm Israel or Israelis - at sea, using cyberattacks and by attacking Israelis overseas.

There is an ongoing shadow war between the countries going back decades, but Iranian efforts spiked since November 2020, after the Islamic Republic’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated, allegedly by the Mossad.

Iranian boats take part in naval war game in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz southern Iran April 22, 2010. Iran's Revolutionary Guards successfully deployed a new speed boat capable of destroying enemy ships as war games began on Thursday in a waterway crucial for global oil supplies, Iran (credit: REUTERS/FARS NEWS)
Iranian boats take part in naval war game in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz southern Iran April 22, 2010. Iran's Revolutionary Guards successfully deployed a new speed boat capable of destroying enemy ships as war games began on Thursday in a waterway crucial for global oil supplies, Iran (credit: REUTERS/FARS NEWS)

In addition, Iran has accused the Mossad of sabotaging its nuclear facilities in July 2020 as well as in April and June of this year.

The Jerusalem Post and foreign outlets have also reported on Israeli intelligence assistance in the US’s assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force Chief Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.

In early October, some Israeli officials accused Tehran of trying to assassinate Israelis in Cyprus, something Tehran also attempted in 2012.

Around the same 2012 period, there were  Iranian plots to target Israelis in Thailand, India, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kenya.

In January, Iranian proxies attempted an attack against Israeli diplomats in India.


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Israeli intelligence officials have estimated that the Islamic Republic will continue to target Israelis and Jews in spots where they believe security is weaker, at least until they feel like they have achieved some amount of revenge and deterrence against Israeli attacks on Iran.