Head of Mossad, Israel's spy agency, is due to visit the US in September for talks about&nbsp; the possible revival of Iran nuclear deal. Iran is currently negotiating with the world powers to revive 2015 nuclear deal. Israel is against revival of the deal.

Israel says that revival of the nuclear deal would result in funding of Iran-supported militants and that it will not prevent Iran from making a nuclear bomb. Iran has always denied that goal of its nuclear program was to develop nuclear weapon.

Mossad chief David Barnea will "be visiting Washington in a week to participate in closed-door meetings in Congress on the Iran deal," a senior Israeli official told AFP on condition of anonymity, without providing further details.

The nuclear deal was struck with Iran in the year 2015&nbsp;but former US president Donald Trump unilaterally took the US out of the deal in 2018.

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that Israel's "diplomatic fight" against the deal included its national security adviser and defence minister holding recent meetings in the United States.

"We are making a concerted effort to ensure the Americans and Europeans understand the dangers involved in this agreement," Lapid said, stressing what was signed in 2015 was "not a good deal," and that the one currently being formulated entails "greater dangers".

PM Lapid has said that a new agreement should have an expiration date, and tighter supervision that would also "address Iran's ballistic missile programme and its involvement in terrorism throughout the Middle East."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Head of Mossad, Israel's spy agency, is due to visit the US in September for talks about the possible revival of Iran nuclear deal. Iran is currently negotiating with the world powers to revive 2015 nuclear deal.

Head of Mossad, Israel's spy agency, is due to visit the US in September for talks about the possible revival of Iran nuclear deal. Iran is currently negotiating with the world powers to revive 2015 nuclear deal. Israel is against revival of the deal. Israel says that revival of the nuclear deal would result in funding of Iran-supported militants and that it will not prevent Iran from making a nuclear bomb. Iran has always denied that goal of its nuclear program was to develop nuclear weapon. Mossad chief David Barnea will "be visiting Washington in a week to participate in closed-door meetings in Congress on the Iran deal," a senior Israeli official told AFP on condition of anonymity, without providing further details. The nuclear deal was struck with Iran in the year 2015 but former US president Donald Trump unilaterally took the US out of the deal in 2018. Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that Israel's "diplomatic fight" against the deal included its national security adviser and defence minister holding recent meetings in the United States. "We are making a concerted effort to ensure the Americans and Europeans understand the dangers involved in this agreement," Lapid said, stressing what was signed in 2015 was "not a good deal," and that the one currently being formulated entails "greater dangers". PM Lapid has said that a new agreement should have an expiration date, and tighter supervision that would also "address Iran's ballistic missile programme and its involvement in terrorism throughout the Middle East." (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Mossad chief to head to US for talks over Iran nuclear deal

Iran said it has arrested agents linked to Israel's Mossad. Iran added that these suspects planned to attack sensitive sites. Iran and Israel have been embroiled in a long shadow war.

Iran arrests agents linked to Israel's Mossad: 'Suspects planned to attack sensitive sites'

Hamas said that Israeli troops attacked its naval commandos with a dolphin operative wearing specialised combat gear.

According to a report by Al-Quds, Israeli security forces deployed a dolphin to chase Hamas frogman commandos off the Gaza Strip's coast on Monday.

An Al-Qassam Brigades naval commando spokesperson said in a video that Hamas naval operatives were driven into the water by a dolphin outfitted with a gadget capable of killing the terrorist group's frogmen during an unspecified operation.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/gaza-violence-how-is-hamas-growing-its-arsenal-of-rockets-to-strike-israel-386324">Pictures | Gaza violence: How is Hamas growing its arsenal of rockets to strike Israel?</a>

"Killer Zionist dolphins exist, according to a &nbsp;Hamas publication," tweeted Joe Truzman, research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal.

"Abu Hamza explains that a member of Hamas' Frogman unit who was killed by Israel during the May conflict found the killer dolphin. The device the alleged killer dolphin was wearing is shown in the publication."

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Killer Zionist dolphins exist, according to a Hamas publication. Abu Hamza explains that a member of Hamas' Frogman unit who was killed by Israel during the May conflict found the killer dolphin. The device the alleged killer dolphin was wearing is shown in the publication. <a href="https://t.co/gvAyynO3YT">pic.twitter.com/gvAyynO3YT</a>
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1480630102345936901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The type and function of the underwater attacker's device were not revealed, but Al-Quds claimed to have information from sources about another battle cetacean event in August 2015 involving a remote control, a camera, and a weapon capable of firing harpoon-like missiles.

The Al-Quds sources said that Hamas had captured an Israeli dolphin agent in 2015, but they did not say what happened to the military mereswine, which could still be held captive.

The sea mammal was allegedly "stripped of its will" and transformed into a "murderer" by Israeli authorities, according to the BBC.&nbsp;

Previous reports of deadly Israeli dolphins and other militaristic marine animals have become memetic on social media, as evidenced by the popular satirical Mossad Twitter account's tagline: "We install lasers on aquatic animals and other satirical hijinks."

Hamas' latest claim that Israel has hidden soldiers has been widely mocked online.

Some Twitter users wondered if the dolphin was equipped with laser guns, alluding to villains in the comedy film Austin Powers who demand sharks with lasers connected to their heads.&nbsp;

WATCH | Gravitas: Hamas claims 'Killer Zionist Dolphin' killed their commando

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(With inputs from agencies)

Hamas said that Israeli troops attacked its naval commandos with a dolphin operative wearing specialised combat gear. According to a report by Al-Quds, Israeli security forces deployed a dolphin to chase Hamas frogman commandos off the Gaza Strip's coast on Monday.

Hamas said that Israeli troops attacked its naval commandos with a dolphin operative wearing specialised combat gear. According to a report by Al-Quds, Israeli security forces deployed a dolphin to chase Hamas frogman commandos off the Gaza Strip's coast on Monday. An Al-Qassam Brigades naval commando spokesperson said in a video that Hamas naval operatives were driven into the water by a dolphin outfitted with a gadget capable of killing the terrorist group's frogmen during an unspecified operation. Pictures | Gaza violence: How is Hamas growing its arsenal of rockets to strike Israel? "Killer Zionist dolphins exist, according to a Hamas publication," tweeted Joe Truzman, research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal. "Abu Hamza explains that a member of Hamas' Frogman unit who was killed by Israel during the May conflict found the killer dolphin. The device the alleged killer dolphin was wearing is shown in the publication." Killer Zionist dolphins exist, according to a Hamas publication. Abu Hamza explains that a member of Hamas' Frogman unit who was killed by Israel during the May conflict found the killer dolphin. The device the alleged killer dolphin was wearing is shown in the publication. pic.twitter.com/gvAyynO3YT — Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) January 10, 2022 × The type and function of the underwater attacker's device were not revealed, but Al-Quds claimed to have information from sources about another battle cetacean event in August 2015 involving a remote control, a camera, and a weapon capable of firing harpoon-like missiles. The Al-Quds sources said that Hamas had captured an Israeli dolphin agent in 2015, but they did not say what happened to the military mereswine, which could still be held captive. The sea mammal was allegedly "stripped of its will" and transformed into a "murderer" by Israeli authorities, according to the BBC. Previous reports of deadly Israeli dolphins and other militaristic marine animals have become memetic on social media, as evidenced by the popular satirical Mossad Twitter account's tagline: "We install lasers on aquatic animals and other satirical hijinks." Hamas' latest claim that Israel has hidden soldiers has been widely mocked online. Some Twitter users wondered if the dolphin was equipped with laser guns, alluding to villains in the comedy film Austin Powers who demand sharks with lasers connected to their heads. WATCH | Gravitas: Hamas claims 'Killer Zionist Dolphin' killed their commando × (With inputs from agencies)

Israel's Mossad trained 'killer dolphins' to attack fighters: Hamas

Earlier this year, in April, Israel's intelligence agency Mossad recruited top Iranian scientists and tricked them to believe that they were working for international dissident groups, in order to carry a secret operation that involved blowing up their own nuclear plant. A report by the Jewish Chronicle reveals that up to ten scientists were hired to destroy the Natanz nuclear facility.

This revelation comes as one of three&nbsp;acts of sabotages which were allegedly linked with Mossad when the Natanz facility was first hit by explosives.

The operation resulted in the demolition of nearly 90 per cent of the centrifuges at the nuclear plant. This put up the key complex out of use for a period of nine months.

This was done by smuggling explosives into the compound using a drone. These drones were then collected by the scientists.&nbsp;Several explosives were also smuggled into the high-security facility through food boxes and lorries.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-frequent-and-destructive-historical-records-show-a-surge-in-hurricanes-over-the-last-150-years-433667">Also read |&nbsp;More frequent and destructive: Historical records show a surge in hurricanes over the last 150 years</a>

Various other revelations by the Jewish Chronicle involves Mossad spies hiding explosives in building materials which were used in the construction of the Natanz centrifuge in 2019.

There are also report of agents seeking an armed quadcopter.&nbsp;

Reportedly, there was also a third operation in June. During this an explosion took place by a quadcopter drone on the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company.&nbsp;

The Jewish Chronicle claims that these three operations were planned in a time span of over 18 months. It involved a team of 1,000 technicians, spies and several agents on the ground.

Earlier this year, in April, Israel's intelligence agency Mossad recruited top Iranian scientists and tricked them to believe that they were working for international dissident groups, in order to carry a secret operation that involved blowing up their own nuclear plant.

Earlier this year, in April, Israel's intelligence agency Mossad recruited top Iranian scientists and tricked them to believe that they were working for international dissident groups, in order to carry a secret operation that involved blowing up their own nuclear plant. A report by the Jewish Chronicle reveals that up to ten scientists were hired to destroy the Natanz nuclear facility. This revelation comes as one of three acts of sabotages which were allegedly linked with Mossad when the Natanz facility was first hit by explosives. The operation resulted in the demolition of nearly 90 per cent of the centrifuges at the nuclear plant. This put up the key complex out of use for a period of nine months. This was done by smuggling explosives into the compound using a drone. These drones were then collected by the scientists. Several explosives were also smuggled into the high-security facility through food boxes and lorries. Also read | More frequent and destructive: Historical records show a surge in hurricanes over the last 150 years Various other revelations by the Jewish Chronicle involves Mossad spies hiding explosives in building materials which were used in the construction of the Natanz centrifuge in 2019. There are also report of agents seeking an armed quadcopter. Reportedly, there was also a third operation in June. During this an explosion took place by a quadcopter drone on the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company. The Jewish Chronicle claims that these three operations were planned in a time span of over 18 months. It involved a team of 1,000 technicians, spies and several agents on the ground.

A secret operation: Mossad tricked top Iranian scientists into blowing up their own nuclear plant

A one-ton gun smuggled into Iran by Israeli intelligence agency Mossad killed top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a British weekly claimed citing intelligence sources.&nbsp;

A report published by the Jewish Chronicle on Wednesday said that a team of over 20 Israeli and Iranian agents were involved in the assassination after eight months of surveillance.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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The intelligence agency mounted the automated gun on a Nissan pickup and that "the bespoke weapon, operated remotely by agents on the ground as they observed the target, was so heavy because it included a bomb that destroyed the evidence after the killing," the world's oldest Jewish newspaper based in London said.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-netanyahu-returns-to-court-as-graft-trial-ramps-up-362129">Israel's Netanyahu returns to court as graft trial ramps up</a>

Israeli and Western intelligence agencies long claimed that Fakhrizadeh, 59, was the mastermind of Iran's nuclear programme.&nbsp;

He was gunned down in his car and Iran directed the accusations towards Israel with its foreign minister saying on Twitter that there are "serious indications of (an) Israeli role."

The report added that Iran has "secretly assessed" that a time of six years will be required to find Fakhrizadeh's replacement and his death had "extended the period of time it would take Iran to achieve a bomb from about three-and-a-half months to two years."

Israel again declined to comment on the claims of its involvement following the publication of the report, with a government spokesperson saying: "We never comment on such matters. There has been no change in our position."

A one-ton gun smuggled into Iran by Israeli intelligence agency Mossad killed top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a British weekly claimed citing intelligence sources.

A one-ton gun smuggled into Iran by Israeli intelligence agency Mossad killed top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a British weekly claimed citing intelligence sources. A report published by the Jewish Chronicle on Wednesday said that a team of over 20 Israeli and Iranian agents were involved in the assassination after eight months of surveillance. Watch | The intelligence agency mounted the automated gun on a Nissan pickup and that "the bespoke weapon, operated remotely by agents on the ground as they observed the target, was so heavy because it included a bomb that destroyed the evidence after the killing," the world's oldest Jewish newspaper based in London said. Also read | Israel's Netanyahu returns to court as graft trial ramps up Israeli and Western intelligence agencies long claimed that Fakhrizadeh, 59, was the mastermind of Iran's nuclear programme. He was gunned down in his car and Iran directed the accusations towards Israel with its foreign minister saying on Twitter that there are "serious indications of (an) Israeli role." The report added that Iran has "secretly assessed" that a time of six years will be required to find Fakhrizadeh's replacement and his death had "extended the period of time it would take Iran to achieve a bomb from about three-and-a-half months to two years." Israel again declined to comment on the claims of its involvement following the publication of the report, with a government spokesperson saying: "We never comment on such matters. There has been no change in our position."

One-ton gun smuggled by Israeli intelligence agency killed Iranian scientist Fakhrizadeh: Report

A top Iranian official said a "complex operation" led to the killing of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and blamed Israel and an exiled opposition group for it.&nbsp;

The "operation was very complex, using electronic equipment and no one was present at the scene," said Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council to state TV, as quoted by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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He also said that The People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) and "the Zionist regime and the Mossad" were "certainly" behind the assassination.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-local-media-says-chief-nuclear-scientist-shot-with-remote-controlled-machine-gun-made-in-israel-346427">Iran: Local media says chief nuclear scientist shot with remote-controlled machine gun made in Israel</a>

Mossad is Israel's external security agency.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Iran on Monday bid adieu to Fakhrizadeh and many top officials attended the funeral, including defence minister Amir Hatami and the head of the Revolutionary Guards Hossein Salami.

"If our enemies had not committed this heinous crime and spilt our dear martyr's blood, he might have remained unknown," Hatami in a speech said.&nbsp;

"But today, he who was only an idol for [...] his students and colleagues, is introduced to the whole world," he added, saying the scientist will inspire "all who embark on the path to fight."

"The enemies should know, that this is their first defeat."

The scientist who many see as the 'mastermind of Iran's nuclear programme' died on Friday after assailants targetted his car and engaged in a gunfight with his bodyguards in Tehran.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

A top Iranian official said a "complex operation" led to the killing of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and blamed Israel and an exiled opposition group for it.

A top Iranian official said a "complex operation" led to the killing of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and blamed Israel and an exiled opposition group for it. The "operation was very complex, using electronic equipment and no one was present at the scene," said Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council to state TV, as quoted by news agency AFP. Watch | He also said that The People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) and "the Zionist regime and the Mossad" were "certainly" behind the assassination. Also read | Iran: Local media says chief nuclear scientist shot with remote-controlled machine gun made in Israel Mossad is Israel's external security agency. Meanwhile, Iran on Monday bid adieu to Fakhrizadeh and many top officials attended the funeral, including defence minister Amir Hatami and the head of the Revolutionary Guards Hossein Salami. "If our enemies had not committed this heinous crime and spilt our dear martyr's blood, he might have remained unknown," Hatami in a speech said. "But today, he who was only an idol for [...] his students and colleagues, is introduced to the whole world," he added, saying the scientist will inspire "all who embark on the path to fight." "The enemies should know, that this is their first defeat." The scientist who many see as the 'mastermind of Iran's nuclear programme' died on Friday after assailants targetted his car and engaged in a gunfight with his bodyguards in Tehran.

'Complex operation' led to killing of nuclear scientist: Top Iranian official

The raid alone was brazen enough. A team of Israeli commandos with high-powered torches blasted their way into a vault of a heavily guarded warehouse deep in Iran and made off before dawn with 5,000 pages of top secret papers on the country’s nuclear program.

Then in a television broadcast a few weeks later, in April 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the contents of the pilfered documents and coyly hinted at equally bold operations still to come.

“Remember that name,” he said, singling out scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh as the captain of Iran’s covert attempts to assemble a nuclear weapon.

Now Fakhrizadeh has become the latest casualty in a campaign of audacious covert attacks seemingly designed to torment Iranian leaders with reminders of their weakness. The operations are confronting Iran with an agonizing choice between embracing the demands of hard-liners for swift retaliation, or attempting to make a fresh start with the less implacably hostile administration of President-elect Joe Biden.

Trailed by a carload of bodyguards, Fakhrizadeh on Friday was driving a carefully circuitous route to the home of his in-laws in the city of Absard, Iran, according to witnesses and the Iranian news media.

An empty Nissan parked at a roundabout exploded, knocking down a power line. Gunmen leapt from a parked Hyundai Santa Fe, others arrived on motorcycles, and waiting snipers filled out a hit team of 12 assassins, according to a detailed account posted online by Javad Mogouyi, a documentary filmmaker for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

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Fakhrizadeh, hit with at least three bullets, tumbled from his car and fell bleeding on the ground. The nearest medical clinic had lost electrical power. Roadside cameras were disabled. All 12 assassins escaped unharmed, and Fakhrizadeh was pronounced dead by the time a rescue helicopter was able to transport him to a Tehran hospital.

“It was like a Hollywood action movie,” Mogouyi wrote in his account.

It was the latest in a decade-long pattern of mysterious poisonings, car bombings, shootings, thefts and sabotage that has afflicted the Islamic Republic. Most have hit largely anonymous scientists or secretive facilities believed to be linked to its nuclear program, and almost all have been attributed by both U.S. and Iranian officials to Tehran’s great nemesis, Israel, whose officials — without formally acknowledging responsibility — have all but openly gloated over the repeated success of their spies.

Never, however, has the Islamic Republic endured a spate of covert attacks quite like in 2020. In January, a U.S. drone strike killed the revered Gen. Qasem Soleimani as he was in a car leaving the Baghdad airport (an attack facilitated by Israel’s intelligence, officials say). And Iran was humiliated in August by an Israeli hit team’s fatal shooting of a senior al-Qaida leader on the streets of Tehran (this time at the behest of the United States, its officials have said).

Seldom has any country demonstrated a similar ability to strike with apparent impunity inside the territory of its fiercest enemy, said Bruce Riedel, a researcher at the Brookings Institution and a former CIA official with experience in Israel.

“It’s unprecedented,” he said. “And it shows no sign of being effectively countered by the Iranians.”

With the killing of their top nuclear scientist as well, Iranians are now grappling with a new sense of vulnerability and demands to purge suspected collaborators. Most of all, they are debating how to respond at a delicate moment.

Iran has endured years of devastating economic sanctions under a campaign of “maximum pressure” from President Donald Trump, and many Iranian leaders are desperately hoping for some measure of relief. Biden has pledged to seek to revive a lapsed agreement that lifted sanctions in exchange for a halt to nuclear research that might produce a weapon.

To pragmatic Iranians, that possibility makes Trump’s last months in office no time to lash back and risk renewed hostilities.

But Iranians also know that their enemies in the United States and Israel may take advantage of this period to attack Tehran further. It is a chance to squeeze its leaders between domestic demands for revenge and a pragmatic desire for better relations.

“From today until Trump leaves the White House is the most dangerous period for Iran,” Mohammad-Hossein Khoshvaght, a former official at the Ministry of Culture and Guidance, wrote in a message on Twitter.

Retaliation against Israel or Netanyahu’s main ally, the United States, would play into the hands of Iran’s enemies in the region, Khoshvaght argued. They are seeking “to create a difficult situation,” so the new administration cannot revive that nuclear agreement, he added.

Iranian hard-liners argued that the killing of Fakhrizadeh proved that holding out for a new start with Biden was only emboldening the country's foes.

“If you don’t respond to this level of terrorism, they may repeat it, because now they know Iran won’t react,” conservative political analyst Foad Izadi said in an interview from Tehran. “There is obviously a problem when you see these types of things repeating.”

Underscoring Fakhrizadeh’s stature, Iranian authorities announced plans Saturday to give him the burial of a national hero at one of the country’s holiest shrines.

Videos circulated of a senior cleric who heads the judiciary praying with the scientist’s family over his body shrouded in an Iranian flag and his face uncovered — an extraordinary and unexplained departure from the Islamic tradition of wrapping the dead in a white cloth from head to toe.

Israel for decades has embraced a strategy of targeted assassinations in trying to slow down potential progress toward the development of a nuclear weapon among its hostile neighbors. Israeli intelligence agencies have been linked to the killings of scientists working for Egypt in the 1960s and for Iraq in the 1970s for the same reason, historians say.

Iran first accused Israel of killing one of its scientists when he dropped dead in his laboratory after a poisoning in 2007, and a series of more violent attacks on Iranian scientists between 2010 and 2012 have been widely attributed to Israel as well.

In one, a bomb in a parked motorcycle blew up a particle physicist as he was lowering a garage door at his home in Tehran. In three others, motorcyclists speeding past the moving cars of other scientists slapped magnetic bombs to their car doors, killing two and wounding a third. And in a fifth attack, gunmen on motorcycles sprayed a scientist with bullets while his car was stopped at a traffic light with his wife sitting beside him.

Israel has developed a singularly successful track record in part by concentrating the considerable resources of its spy agencies mainly on Iran, its greatest nemesis, said Riedel of the Brookings Institution.

Israel, he said, has also carefully cultivated ties within countries neighboring Iran as “platforms” for surveillance and recruitment — most notably in Baku, Azerbaijan. Its recent conflict with Armenia has called attention to drones and other weaponry that Israel has furnished to Azerbaijan as part of that relationship

Israel recruits native Farsi speakers from among Iranian immigrants to make contacts or analyze intercepted communications, he added, and Israel has managed to enlist a steady stream of Iranian collaborators.

Now, Riedel argued, the attack on Fakhrizadeh may be an indication that Israel plans other killings. After an eight-year “hiatus” since the wave of assassinations from 2010 to 2012, he said, “I think it is a signal that the game is afoot, or coming.”

Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss covert operations, a senior Israeli official involved for years in tracking Fakhrizadeh for Israel said it would continue to act against the Iranian nuclear program as necessary. Iran’s aspirations to nuclear weapons, promoted by Fakhrizadeh, posed such a menace that the world should thank Israel, the official insisted.

In Iran, the killing has already elicited new demands to root out such spies, including from the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In his first public response to the killing, Khamenei declared that the first priority was “investigating this crime and definitive punishment of its perpetrators.”

Hard-liners blamed the administration of Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani — a pragmatist who had bet heavily on negotiations with Washington — for the security failures that allowed the attack.

“The night is long, and we are awake,” said Hossein Dehghan, a recently announced candidate in next year’s presidential election who is a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guard and the defense adviser to Khamenei.

“We will come down like thunder on the heads of those responsible for the murder of this martyr and make them regret it,” he continued in a message on Twitter.

Rouhani, for his part, suggested in a televised speech that Iran would continue what he has called a policy of “strategic patience,” or what his critics call waiting for Biden.

“We will answer at the right time,” Rouhani said. “All the enemies should know that the great Iranian people are more courageous and honorable to not respond to this criminal act.”

But within Iranian politics, analysts said, the hard-liners stood to gain the most politically from the attack. Any renewed conflict with Israel bolsters their case against negotiation with its allies in the West, said Sanam Vakil at Chatham House in London.

Since Biden won the November election, the hard-liners have begun pushing against Rouhani to defer any negotiations with the new U.S. administration for as long as possible, Vakil said. Conflict with Washington strengthens their appeal and weakens more pragmatic factions in the Iranian election coming next year.

“So an event like this plays in the hands of the hard-liners,” she said, “because they can push out negotiations until after the Iranian election — and that is what they are gunning for.” 
&nbsp;

The raid alone was brazen enough. A team of Israeli commandos with high-powered torches blasted their way into a vault of a heavily guarded warehouse deep in Iran and made off before dawn with 5,000 pages of top secret papers on the country’s nuclear program.

The raid alone was brazen enough. A team of Israeli commandos with high-powered torches blasted their way into a vault of a heavily guarded warehouse deep in Iran and made off before dawn with 5,000 pages of top secret papers on the country’s nuclear program. Then in a television broadcast a few weeks later, in April 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the contents of the pilfered documents and coyly hinted at equally bold operations still to come. “Remember that name,” he said, singling out scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh as the captain of Iran’s covert attempts to assemble a nuclear weapon. Now Fakhrizadeh has become the latest casualty in a campaign of audacious covert attacks seemingly designed to torment Iranian leaders with reminders of their weakness. The operations are confronting Iran with an agonizing choice between embracing the demands of hard-liners for swift retaliation, or attempting to make a fresh start with the less implacably hostile administration of President-elect Joe Biden. Trailed by a carload of bodyguards, Fakhrizadeh on Friday was driving a carefully circuitous route to the home of his in-laws in the city of Absard, Iran, according to witnesses and the Iranian news media. An empty Nissan parked at a roundabout exploded, knocking down a power line. Gunmen leapt from a parked Hyundai Santa Fe, others arrived on motorcycles, and waiting snipers filled out a hit team of 12 assassins, according to a detailed account posted online by Javad Mogouyi, a documentary filmmaker for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. × Fakhrizadeh, hit with at least three bullets, tumbled from his car and fell bleeding on the ground. The nearest medical clinic had lost electrical power. Roadside cameras were disabled. All 12 assassins escaped unharmed, and Fakhrizadeh was pronounced dead by the time a rescue helicopter was able to transport him to a Tehran hospital. “It was like a Hollywood action movie,” Mogouyi wrote in his account. It was the latest in a decade-long pattern of mysterious poisonings, car bombings, shootings, thefts and sabotage that has afflicted the Islamic Republic. Most have hit largely anonymous scientists or secretive facilities believed to be linked to its nuclear program, and almost all have been attributed by both U.S. and Iranian officials to Tehran’s great nemesis, Israel, whose officials — without formally acknowledging responsibility — have all but openly gloated over the repeated success of their spies. Never, however, has the Islamic Republic endured a spate of covert attacks quite like in 2020. In January, a U.S. drone strike killed the revered Gen. Qasem Soleimani as he was in a car leaving the Baghdad airport (an attack facilitated by Israel’s intelligence, officials say). And Iran was humiliated in August by an Israeli hit team’s fatal shooting of a senior al-Qaida leader on the streets of Tehran (this time at the behest of the United States, its officials have said). Seldom has any country demonstrated a similar ability to strike with apparent impunity inside the territory of its fiercest enemy, said Bruce Riedel, a researcher at the Brookings Institution and a former CIA official with experience in Israel. “It’s unprecedented,” he said. “And it shows no sign of being effectively countered by the Iranians.” With the killing of their top nuclear scientist as well, Iranians are now grappling with a new sense of vulnerability and demands to purge suspected collaborators. Most of all, they are debating how to respond at a delicate moment. Iran has endured years of devastating economic sanctions under a campaign of “maximum pressure” from President Donald Trump, and many Iranian leaders are desperately hoping for some measure of relief. Biden has pledged to seek to revive a lapsed agreement that lifted sanctions in exchange for a halt to nuclear research that might produce a weapon. To pragmatic Iranians, that possibility makes Trump’s last months in office no time to lash back and risk renewed hostilities. But Iranians also know that their enemies in the United States and Israel may take advantage of this period to attack Tehran further. It is a chance to squeeze its leaders between domestic demands for revenge and a pragmatic desire for better relations. “From today until Trump leaves the White House is the most dangerous period for Iran,” Mohammad-Hossein Khoshvaght, a former official at the Ministry of Culture and Guidance, wrote in a message on Twitter. Retaliation against Israel or Netanyahu’s main ally, the United States, would play into the hands of Iran’s enemies in the region, Khoshvaght argued. They are seeking “to create a difficult situation,” so the new administration cannot revive that nuclear agreement, he added. Iranian hard-liners argued that the killing of Fakhrizadeh proved that holding out for a new start with Biden was only emboldening the country's foes. “If you don’t respond to this level of terrorism, they may repeat it, because now they know Iran won’t react,” conservative political analyst Foad Izadi said in an interview from Tehran. “There is obviously a problem when you see these types of things repeating.” Underscoring Fakhrizadeh’s stature, Iranian authorities announced plans Saturday to give him the burial of a national hero at one of the country’s holiest shrines. Videos circulated of a senior cleric who heads the judiciary praying with the scientist’s family over his body shrouded in an Iranian flag and his face uncovered — an extraordinary and unexplained departure from the Islamic tradition of wrapping the dead in a white cloth from head to toe. Israel for decades has embraced a strategy of targeted assassinations in trying to slow down potential progress toward the development of a nuclear weapon among its hostile neighbors. Israeli intelligence agencies have been linked to the killings of scientists working for Egypt in the 1960s and for Iraq in the 1970s for the same reason, historians say. Iran first accused Israel of killing one of its scientists when he dropped dead in his laboratory after a poisoning in 2007, and a series of more violent attacks on Iranian scientists between 2010 and 2012 have been widely attributed to Israel as well. In one, a bomb in a parked motorcycle blew up a particle physicist as he was lowering a garage door at his home in Tehran. In three others, motorcyclists speeding past the moving cars of other scientists slapped magnetic bombs to their car doors, killing two and wounding a third. And in a fifth attack, gunmen on motorcycles sprayed a scientist with bullets while his car was stopped at a traffic light with his wife sitting beside him. Israel has developed a singularly successful track record in part by concentrating the considerable resources of its spy agencies mainly on Iran, its greatest nemesis, said Riedel of the Brookings Institution. Israel, he said, has also carefully cultivated ties within countries neighboring Iran as “platforms” for surveillance and recruitment — most notably in Baku, Azerbaijan. Its recent conflict with Armenia has called attention to drones and other weaponry that Israel has furnished to Azerbaijan as part of that relationship Israel recruits native Farsi speakers from among Iranian immigrants to make contacts or analyze intercepted communications, he added, and Israel has managed to enlist a steady stream of Iranian collaborators. Now, Riedel argued, the attack on Fakhrizadeh may be an indication that Israel plans other killings. After an eight-year “hiatus” since the wave of assassinations from 2010 to 2012, he said, “I think it is a signal that the game is afoot, or coming.” Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss covert operations, a senior Israeli official involved for years in tracking Fakhrizadeh for Israel said it would continue to act against the Iranian nuclear program as necessary. Iran’s aspirations to nuclear weapons, promoted by Fakhrizadeh, posed such a menace that the world should thank Israel, the official insisted. In Iran, the killing has already elicited new demands to root out such spies, including from the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In his first public response to the killing, Khamenei declared that the first priority was “investigating this crime and definitive punishment of its perpetrators.” Hard-liners blamed the administration of Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani — a pragmatist who had bet heavily on negotiations with Washington — for the security failures that allowed the attack. “The night is long, and we are awake,” said Hossein Dehghan, a recently announced candidate in next year’s presidential election who is a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guard and the defense adviser to Khamenei. “We will come down like thunder on the heads of those responsible for the murder of this martyr and make them regret it,” he continued in a message on Twitter. Rouhani, for his part, suggested in a televised speech that Iran would continue what he has called a policy of “strategic patience,” or what his critics call waiting for Biden. “We will answer at the right time,” Rouhani said. “All the enemies should know that the great Iranian people are more courageous and honorable to not respond to this criminal act.” But within Iranian politics, analysts said, the hard-liners stood to gain the most politically from the attack. Any renewed conflict with Israel bolsters their case against negotiation with its allies in the West, said Sanam Vakil at Chatham House in London. Since Biden won the November election, the hard-liners have begun pushing against Rouhani to defer any negotiations with the new U.S. administration for as long as possible, Vakil said. Conflict with Washington strengthens their appeal and weakens more pragmatic factions in the Iranian election coming next year. “So an event like this plays in the hands of the hard-liners,” she said, “because they can push out negotiations until after the Iranian election — and that is what they are gunning for.”

Brazen killings expose Iran's vulnerabilities as it struggles to respond

Iran held its arch-rival Israel responsible for assassination of its top nuclear scientist. Iranian defence ministry said on Friday that assailants targetted the car of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the scientist. The 59-year-old was targeted while travelling in a car near Absard city in Tehran province's eastern Damavand county.

The United States slapped sanctions on Fakhrizadeh in 2008 for "engaging in activities and transactions that contributed to the development of Iran's nuclear programme", and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once described him as the father of Iran's nuclear weapons programme.

A state television reporter said a pickup truck carrying explosives concealed under a cargo of wood exploded in front of Fakhrizadeh's car, before it was sprayed with bullets from an SUV in another lane.

Images from the scene showed a black sedan on the side of the road, its windshield pockmarked with bullet holes. A pool of blood was seen on the asphalt.

State television described Fakhrizadeh as one "of our country's nuclear scientists" and said Israel "had an old and deep enmity towards him".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-top-nuclear-scientist-mohsen-fakhrizadeh-assassinated-345915">Iran's top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh assassinated</a>

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said there were "serious indications of an Israeli role" in his assassination.

"Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today," Zarif tweeted.

"This cowardice -- with serious indications of Israeli role -- shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators," he added.

He also called on the international community to "end their shameful double standards &amp; condemn this act of state terror."

'Heavy blow'

A spokesman for Netanyahu questioned by AFP in Jerusalem declined to comment.

Iran's armed forces chief of staff called Fakhrizdeh's death "a bitter and heavy blow to the country's defence system" and warned of "severe revenge" for those behind it.

"We assure (Iranians) that we will not rest until we have chased and punished" those involved, Major General Mohammad Bagheri said in tweets picked up by state news agency IRNA.

Fakhrizadeh's assassination comes less than two months before Joe Biden is to take office as US president.

Biden has promised a return to diplomacy with Iran after four hawkish years under US President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and began reimposing crippling sanctions.

Trump said at the time that the deal known formally as the Joint&nbsp; 
Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, did not offer sufficient guarantees to stop Tehran from acquiring an atomic bomb.

Iran has always denied it wants such a weapon.

Trump on Friday retweeted reports on Fakhrizadeh's assassination, without commenting on it himself.

'Strike killers like lightning'

Hossein Dehghan, military adviser to Iran's supreme leader and a former senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, accused Israel of trying to provoke a war through the assassination.

"In the last days of the political life of their gambling ally (Trump), the Zionists are trying to intensify pressure on Iran to create a full-blown war," he tweeted.

"We will strike the killers like lightning."

Ellie Geranmayeh of the European Council on International Relations said on Twitter that the "objective behind the killing wasn't to hinder (Iran's) nuclear programme but to undermine diplomacy."

She noted that recent high-level visits by US officials to Israel and Saudi Arabia "raised flags something being cooked up" to "provoke Iran &amp; complicate Biden's diplomatic push."

The killing of Fakhrizadeh is the latest in a series of assassinations of nuclear scientists in Iran in recent years that the Islamic republic has blamed on Israel.

The New York Times reported earlier in November that Al-Qaeda's second-in-command was secretly shot and killed in Tehran by two Israeli operatives on a motorcycle at Washington's behest.

The senior leader, who went by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was killed in August along with his daughter, Miriam, the widow of Osama bin Laden's son Hamza, the Times said, citing intelligence sources.

Iran said the report was based on "made-up information" and reaffirmed its denial of the presence of any of the group's members in the Islamic republic.

(With AFP inputs)

Iran held its arch-rival Israel responsible for assassination of its top nuclear scientist. Iranian defence ministry said on Friday that assailants targetted the car of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the scientist.

Iran held its arch-rival Israel responsible for assassination of its top nuclear scientist. Iranian defence ministry said on Friday that assailants targetted the car of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the scientist. The 59-year-old was targeted while travelling in a car near Absard city in Tehran province's eastern Damavand county. The United States slapped sanctions on Fakhrizadeh in 2008 for "engaging in activities and transactions that contributed to the development of Iran's nuclear programme", and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once described him as the father of Iran's nuclear weapons programme. A state television reporter said a pickup truck carrying explosives concealed under a cargo of wood exploded in front of Fakhrizadeh's car, before it was sprayed with bullets from an SUV in another lane. Images from the scene showed a black sedan on the side of the road, its windshield pockmarked with bullet holes. A pool of blood was seen on the asphalt. State television described Fakhrizadeh as one "of our country's nuclear scientists" and said Israel "had an old and deep enmity towards him". Also Read | Iran's top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh assassinated Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said there were "serious indications of an Israeli role" in his assassination. "Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today," Zarif tweeted. "This cowardice -- with serious indications of Israeli role -- shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators," he added. He also called on the international community to "end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state terror." 'Heavy blow' A spokesman for Netanyahu questioned by AFP in Jerusalem declined to comment. Iran's armed forces chief of staff called Fakhrizdeh's death "a bitter and heavy blow to the country's defence system" and warned of "severe revenge" for those behind it. "We assure (Iranians) that we will not rest until we have chased and punished" those involved, Major General Mohammad Bagheri said in tweets picked up by state news agency IRNA. Fakhrizadeh's assassination comes less than two months before Joe Biden is to take office as US president. Biden has promised a return to diplomacy with Iran after four hawkish years under US President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and began reimposing crippling sanctions. Trump said at the time that the deal known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, did not offer sufficient guarantees to stop Tehran from acquiring an atomic bomb. Iran has always denied it wants such a weapon. Trump on Friday retweeted reports on Fakhrizadeh's assassination, without commenting on it himself. 'Strike killers like lightning' Hossein Dehghan, military adviser to Iran's supreme leader and a former senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, accused Israel of trying to provoke a war through the assassination. "In the last days of the political life of their gambling ally (Trump), the Zionists are trying to intensify pressure on Iran to create a full-blown war," he tweeted. "We will strike the killers like lightning." Ellie Geranmayeh of the European Council on International Relations said on Twitter that the "objective behind the killing wasn't to hinder (Iran's) nuclear programme but to undermine diplomacy." She noted that recent high-level visits by US officials to Israel and Saudi Arabia "raised flags something being cooked up" to "provoke Iran & complicate Biden's diplomatic push." The killing of Fakhrizadeh is the latest in a series of assassinations of nuclear scientists in Iran in recent years that the Islamic republic has blamed on Israel. The New York Times reported earlier in November that Al-Qaeda's second-in-command was secretly shot and killed in Tehran by two Israeli operatives on a motorcycle at Washington's behest. The senior leader, who went by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was killed in August along with his daughter, Miriam, the widow of Osama bin Laden's son Hamza, the Times said, citing intelligence sources. Iran said the report was based on "made-up information" and reaffirmed its denial of the presence of any of the group's members in the Islamic republic. (With AFP inputs)

Iran accuses Israel of killing nuclear scientist, vows 'revenge'

Israeli intelligence agency Mossad has brought China's&nbsp;coronavirus vaccine for 'study', local media reported.

Israel&nbsp;will begin human trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by a research institute overseen by the Defence Ministry on November&nbsp;1 after receiving regulatory approval.

The goal of the procurement is said to be a study of the Chinese compound and further exploring vaccination options.&nbsp;

A senior health ministry official said ''There are several diplomatic efforts going on behind the scenes. We are trying everything we can to ensure Israeli citizens have access to a vaccine as soon as possible.''

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-roll-out-its-vaccine-starting-november-but-can-we-trust-it-327765">China to roll out its vaccine starting November, but can we trust it?</a>

The&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) began animal trials for its "BriLife" vaccine in March. The Health Ministry and an oversight committee have now given the green light to take it to the next stage.

Eighty volunteers aged between 18 and 55 will be monitored for three weeks to see if virus antibodies develop, the ministry said in a statement. A second phase, expected to begin in December, will involve 960 people over the age of 18.

Should those succeed, a third, large-scale phase with 30,000 volunteers is scheduled for April/May. If successful, the vaccine may then be approved for mass use.

The vaccine, the ministry said, has already tested well on a number of animal models and the IIBR has produced more than 25,000 doses for the first and second phases of the clinical trials.

"Our final goal is 15 million rations for the residents of the State of&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and for our close neighbours," said IIBR Director Shmuel Shapira.

There are no internationally approved vaccines yet, but several are in advanced trials, including from Pfizer Inc, Johnson &amp; Johnson, AstraZeneca Plc and Moderna.

Israel, with a population of 9 million, has begun easing a second nationwide coronavirus lockdown after a steady decline in the rate of daily infections. The country saw 692 new cases on Saturday - down from a peak of more than 9,000 several weeks ago. It has reported 2,372 deaths from the pandemic.

Israeli intelligence agency Mossad has brought China's coronavirus vaccine for 'study', local media reported. Israel will begin human trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by a research institute overseen by the Defence Ministry on November 1 after receiving regulatory approval.

Israeli intelligence agency Mossad has brought China's coronavirus vaccine for 'study', local media reported. Israel will begin human trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by a research institute overseen by the Defence Ministry on November 1 after receiving regulatory approval. The goal of the procurement is said to be a study of the Chinese compound and further exploring vaccination options. A senior health ministry official said ''There are several diplomatic efforts going on behind the scenes. We are trying everything we can to ensure Israeli citizens have access to a vaccine as soon as possible.'' Also read: China to roll out its vaccine starting November, but can we trust it? The Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) began animal trials for its "BriLife" vaccine in March. The Health Ministry and an oversight committee have now given the green light to take it to the next stage. Eighty volunteers aged between 18 and 55 will be monitored for three weeks to see if virus antibodies develop, the ministry said in a statement. A second phase, expected to begin in December, will involve 960 people over the age of 18. Should those succeed, a third, large-scale phase with 30,000 volunteers is scheduled for April/May. If successful, the vaccine may then be approved for mass use. The vaccine, the ministry said, has already tested well on a number of animal models and the IIBR has produced more than 25,000 doses for the first and second phases of the clinical trials. "Our final goal is 15 million rations for the residents of the State of Israel and for our close neighbours," said IIBR Director Shmuel Shapira. There are no internationally approved vaccines yet, but several are in advanced trials, including from Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca Plc and Moderna. Israel, with a population of 9 million, has begun easing a second nationwide coronavirus lockdown after a steady decline in the rate of daily infections. The country saw 692 new cases on Saturday - down from a peak of more than 9,000 several weeks ago. It has reported 2,372 deaths from the pandemic.

Israeli intelligence agency Mossad acquires China's coronavirus vaccine for 'study'

The race for a COVID-19 vaccine is heating up, and countries are spending every resource available to secure enough doses for their people.

Foreign ministries across the globe are in talks with vaccine-producers, and health ministries are attempting to approve them for use. But Israel has gone a different way. Israel is reportedly using spies to test and secure vaccines. The country's famed Mossad is reportedly buying Chinese vaccines, and testing them for safety. Espionage often turned the tide in major conflicts. Now, it is being used as a powerful tool during the pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/israeli-intelligence-agency-mossad-acquires-chinas-coronavirus-vaccine-for-study-338189" hreflang="en">Israeli intelligence agency Mossad acquires China's coronavirus vaccine for 'study'</a>

Israel's Mossad is a pioneer in the business, whose agents have pulled off some daring missions over the years. And now, it's getting involved in Israel's response to the pandemic, rather the hunt for a vaccine. Mossad reportedly brought China's vaccine candidate to Israel in the last couple of weeks. The goal is to study it, test it for safety, and efficiency. 
 
Why has Israel involved Mossad instead of the relevant ministries?

One reason could be the ongoing US-China conflict. Israel is a staunch ally of the United States. It would be bad optics for Israel to test out Chinese vaccines in public, considering the United States is making its own. Mossad is perfectly capable of secretly securing the vaccine from China, and also has the technology to test it out.

This is not the first time Mossad has been deployed during the pandemic. From February to May, Mossad's chief led Israel's efforts to acquire masks, ventilators and PPE kits. It has been speculated that Israel imported medical goods from Arab West-Asian nations, some of whom had not recognised Israel at that point, and had no trade relations with it.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/spying-is-getting-harder-israels-mossad-chief-joseph-yossi-cohen-172835" hreflang="en">Spying is getting harder: Israel's Mossad chief</a>

Mossad was roped in for secret imports. Reports say that the agency bought around 4 million test kits. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been all praise for Mossad, publicly said that the agency's expertise could be needed again.

Mossad's involvement in pandemic control has been controversial. After all, spy agencies have no jurisdiction inside the country. Rights groups have opposed using intelligence agencies to contact-trace.&nbsp;

Whenever there is a global race, espionage is never far away. Earlier this year, the US accused Chinese hackers of trying to steal data from vaccine-maker Moderna. They were reportedly backed by the Chinese intelligence agencies. Two Chinese nationals were indicted, and the FBI was called in to investigate.

Russia has also been accused of trying to steal vaccine research. The UK, Canada and the United States jointly accused a hacking group - Cozy Bear beleived to be associated with Russian intelligence. Vaccine producers are seeking help from spy agencies in their own countries to stay alert to threats.

The race for a COVID-19 vaccine is heating up, and countries are spending every resource available to secure enough doses for their people. Foreign ministries across the globe are in talks with vaccine-producers, and health ministries are attempting to approve them for use.

The race for a COVID-19 vaccine is heating up, and countries are spending every resource available to secure enough doses for their people. Foreign ministries across the globe are in talks with vaccine-producers, and health ministries are attempting to approve them for use. But Israel has gone a different way. Israel is reportedly using spies to test and secure vaccines. The country's famed Mossad is reportedly buying Chinese vaccines, and testing them for safety. Espionage often turned the tide in major conflicts. Now, it is being used as a powerful tool during the pandemic. Also read: Israeli intelligence agency Mossad acquires China's coronavirus vaccine for 'study' Israel's Mossad is a pioneer in the business, whose agents have pulled off some daring missions over the years. And now, it's getting involved in Israel's response to the pandemic, rather the hunt for a vaccine. Mossad reportedly brought China's vaccine candidate to Israel in the last couple of weeks. The goal is to study it, test it for safety, and efficiency. Why has Israel involved Mossad instead of the relevant ministries? One reason could be the ongoing US-China conflict. Israel is a staunch ally of the United States. It would be bad optics for Israel to test out Chinese vaccines in public, considering the United States is making its own. Mossad is perfectly capable of secretly securing the vaccine from China, and also has the technology to test it out. This is not the first time Mossad has been deployed during the pandemic. From February to May, Mossad's chief led Israel's efforts to acquire masks, ventilators and PPE kits. It has been speculated that Israel imported medical goods from Arab West-Asian nations, some of whom had not recognised Israel at that point, and had no trade relations with it. Also read: Spying is getting harder: Israel's Mossad chief Mossad was roped in for secret imports. Reports say that the agency bought around 4 million test kits. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been all praise for Mossad, publicly said that the agency's expertise could be needed again. Mossad's involvement in pandemic control has been controversial. After all, spy agencies have no jurisdiction inside the country. Rights groups have opposed using intelligence agencies to contact-trace. Whenever there is a global race, espionage is never far away. Earlier this year, the US accused Chinese hackers of trying to steal data from vaccine-maker Moderna. They were reportedly backed by the Chinese intelligence agencies. Two Chinese nationals were indicted, and the FBI was called in to investigate. Russia has also been accused of trying to steal vaccine research. The UK, Canada and the United States jointly accused a hacking group - Cozy Bear beleived to be associated with Russian intelligence. Vaccine producers are seeking help from spy agencies in their own countries to stay alert to threats.

Israel deploys its famed Mossad to procure and test COVID-19 vaccines

How Israel's elite spy agency Mossad is fighting coronavirus

Malaysian police on Monday released computer-generated photographs of two men suspected of gunning down a Palestinian man in Kuala Lumpur, adding that alerts have been put out for them at all the country's exit points.

Two men on a motorcycle fired at least 14 shots at Fadi al-Batsh, an engineering lecturer, in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, killing him on the spot.

Hamas, an Islamist militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of assassinating Batsh, who they say was a member of their group. Israel dismissed the charge.

The photographs of the suspects are based on descriptions by witnesses, police chief Mohamad Fuzi Bin Harun told reporters.

They show two light-skinned suspects who may be European or Middle Eastern. Both men are about 180 cm with sturdy builds, the police chief said.

Both suspects are on a high-powered, dark-coloured motorbike which could be a BMW or a Kawasaki. Both are carrying backpacks and have on dark jackets and helmets.&nbsp;

The photos showed one suspect wearing a helmet and glasses.

A forensic examination found that the victim died of multiple injuries to his head and body. Fourteen bullets were found.

"We will send some of the bullets collected to our analysis experts to determine what kind of weapon was used in this heinous killing," Mohamad Fuzi said.

He said they were not sure whether the men were still in Malaysia.

"We cant close off our exits and we don't have any other information apart from the photofit," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Saturday the suspects were believed to be Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman dismissed claims of Mossad's role in the murder and said it was likely that Batsh was killed as part of an internal Palestinian dispute.

Batsh's family has requested for his body to be buried in Gaza.

Mossad has been accused of several high-profile killings involving Palestinians around the world, although Israel has consistently denied the accusations.

The spy agency was accused of executing the murder of Hamas military commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his hotel room in Dubai in 2010. In 2016, Hamas blamed Mossad for the killing of a Tunisian national it described as one of its drone experts.

In recent weeks, tensions have been running high at the Gaza-Israel border as Palestinians have ramped up protests demanding the right to return to homes that are now in Israel.

Israel's use of live fire, killing at least 35 Palestinians, has drawn international criticism. Israel says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

Two men on a motorcycle fired at least 14 shots at Fadi al-Batsh, an engineering lecturer, in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Hamas has accused Israel's Mossad of assassinating Batsh

Malaysian police on Monday released computer-generated photographs of two men suspected of gunning down a Palestinian man in Kuala Lumpur, adding that alerts have been put out for them at all the country's exit points. Two men on a motorcycle fired at least 14 shots at Fadi al-Batsh, an engineering lecturer, in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, killing him on the spot. Hamas, an Islamist militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of assassinating Batsh, who they say was a member of their group. Israel dismissed the charge. The photographs of the suspects are based on descriptions by witnesses, police chief Mohamad Fuzi Bin Harun told reporters. They show two light-skinned suspects who may be European or Middle Eastern. Both men are about 180 cm with sturdy builds, the police chief said. Both suspects are on a high-powered, dark-coloured motorbike which could be a BMW or a Kawasaki. Both are carrying backpacks and have on dark jackets and helmets. The photos showed one suspect wearing a helmet and glasses. A forensic examination found that the victim died of multiple injuries to his head and body. Fourteen bullets were found. "We will send some of the bullets collected to our analysis experts to determine what kind of weapon was used in this heinous killing," Mohamad Fuzi said. He said they were not sure whether the men were still in Malaysia. "We cant close off our exits and we don't have any other information apart from the photofit," he said. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Saturday the suspects were believed to be Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman dismissed claims of Mossad's role in the murder and said it was likely that Batsh was killed as part of an internal Palestinian dispute. Batsh's family has requested for his body to be buried in Gaza. Mossad has been accused of several high-profile killings involving Palestinians around the world, although Israel has consistently denied the accusations. The spy agency was accused of executing the murder of Hamas military commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his hotel room in Dubai in 2010. In 2016, Hamas blamed Mossad for the killing of a Tunisian national it described as one of its drone experts. In recent weeks, tensions have been running high at the Gaza-Israel border as Palestinians have ramped up protests demanding the right to return to homes that are now in Israel. Israel's use of live fire, killing at least 35 Palestinians, has drawn international criticism. Israel says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

Malaysia releases images of suspects in murder of Palestinian

Israel's defence minister said on Sunday a Palestinian scientist shot dead in Malaysia was a rocket expert and "no saint", but dismissed suggestions by Hamas that Israel's Mossad spy agency assassinated him.

Two men on a motorcycle fired 10 shots at Fadi al-Batsh, an engineering lecturer, in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, killing him on the spot, the city's police chief, Mazlan Lazim said.

Hamas, an Islamist militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, said one of its members had been assassinated in Malaysia. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Mossad had been behind past attempts to kill Palestinian scientists, and the attack on Batsh "follows this sequence."

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said it was likely that Batsh was killed as part of an internal Palestinian dispute.

"We heard about it in the news. The terrorist organisations blame every assassination on Israel - we're used to that," Lieberman told Israel Radio.

"The man was no saint and he didn't deal with improving infrastructure in Gaza - he was involved in improving rockets' accuracy ... We constantly see a settling of accounts between various factions in the terrorist organisations and I suppose that is what happened in this case."

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Saturday the suspects in the killing, who fled the scene, were believed to be Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency, state news agency Bernama reported.

He added that Batsh was active in pro-Palestinian non-governmental organisations, describing him as an expert in electrical engineering and rocket-building.

He could have been seen as "a liability for a country that is an enemy of Palestine," Zahid was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Bin Harun said on Sunday that no arrests had been made.

Batsh was a lecturer at Universiti Kuala Lumpur, specialising in power engineering, according to the university.

Batsh's uncle Jamal al-Batsh, speaking to Reuters in the Gaza Strip, said he believed Mossad was behind the killing because "Israel knows Palestine will be liberated by scientists".

Hamas, which advocates Israel's destruction, fired thousands of rockets at Israel, most of them intercepted by an anti-missile system, during a 2014 Gaza war that included devastating Israeli attacks in the enclave of two million Palestinians.

In recent weeks, tensions have been running high at the

Gaza-Israel border as Palestinians have ramped up protests

demanding the right to return to homes that are now in Israel.

Israel's use of live fire, killing at least 35 Palestinians, has drawn international criticism. Israel says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

 
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Israel's defence minister said on Sunday a Palestinian scientist shot dead in Malaysia was a rocket expert and 'no saint', but dismissed suggestions by Hamas that Israel's Mossad spy agency assassinated him

Israel's defence minister said on Sunday a Palestinian scientist shot dead in Malaysia was a rocket expert and "no saint", but dismissed suggestions by Hamas that Israel's Mossad spy agency assassinated him. Two men on a motorcycle fired 10 shots at Fadi al-Batsh, an engineering lecturer, in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, killing him on the spot, the city's police chief, Mazlan Lazim said. Hamas, an Islamist militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, said one of its members had been assassinated in Malaysia. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Mossad had been behind past attempts to kill Palestinian scientists, and the attack on Batsh "follows this sequence." Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said it was likely that Batsh was killed as part of an internal Palestinian dispute. "We heard about it in the news. The terrorist organisations blame every assassination on Israel - we're used to that," Lieberman told Israel Radio. "The man was no saint and he didn't deal with improving infrastructure in Gaza - he was involved in improving rockets' accuracy ... We constantly see a settling of accounts between various factions in the terrorist organisations and I suppose that is what happened in this case." Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Saturday the suspects in the killing, who fled the scene, were believed to be Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency, state news agency Bernama reported. He added that Batsh was active in pro-Palestinian non-governmental organisations, describing him as an expert in electrical engineering and rocket-building. He could have been seen as "a liability for a country that is an enemy of Palestine," Zahid was quoted as saying by Bernama. Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Bin Harun said on Sunday that no arrests had been made. Batsh was a lecturer at Universiti Kuala Lumpur, specialising in power engineering, according to the university. Batsh's uncle Jamal al-Batsh, speaking to Reuters in the Gaza Strip, said he believed Mossad was behind the killing because "Israel knows Palestine will be liberated by scientists". Hamas, which advocates Israel's destruction, fired thousands of rockets at Israel, most of them intercepted by an anti-missile system, during a 2014 Gaza war that included devastating Israeli attacks in the enclave of two million Palestinians. In recent weeks, tensions have been running high at the Gaza-Israel border as Palestinians have ramped up protests demanding the right to return to homes that are now in Israel. Israel's use of live fire, killing at least 35 Palestinians, has drawn international criticism. Israel says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

Israel dismisses suggestions it killed Palestinian in Malaysia

As the Harvey Weinstein scandal continues to unravel, a report in a US newspaper said the disgraced Hollywood movie mogul hired a private investigation firm to collect information in an effort to suppress woman or journalists looking to expose him of sexual misconduct.&nbsp;

According to the The New Yorker, Weinstein employed Black Cube, which is mostly run by former Mossad officers and other Israeli intelligence agencies. With offices in Tel Aviv, London and Paris, the firm&rsquo;s operatives are highly trained when it comes to intelligence gathering.&nbsp;

He also hired Kroll, one of the world&rsquo;s largest corporate-intelligence company, the report said.

The investigator had allegedly met multiple woman&#39;s rights activists and women journalists to gather information and then passed on the information&nbsp;to Weinstein.

Actress Rose McGowan who had&nbsp;accused Weinstein of rape, was among those who said she was targeted by Weinstein&rsquo;s cadre of private investigators. 
&nbsp; 
Weinstein also hired law firms to help with the investigation, most notably David Boies. The New Yorker reported working with private investigation through law firms helps in protecting investigative information under attorney-client privilege.

The investigative report also said that the victims were intimidated and threatened by Weinstein.

In fact, Weinstein&nbsp;also intimidated David Carr, a&nbsp;journalist with The New York Times into not breaking a story of his&nbsp;alleged sexual assault years ago.&nbsp;

The New Yorker reporter reviewed &quot;dozens of pages of documents&quot; and confirmed with seven people over Weinstein&#39;s reported hiring of private firms to pressure women.

Harvey Weinstein hired private investigation firm to collect information and an effort to suppress the woman or journalists looking to expose him of sexual misconduct

As the Harvey Weinstein scandal continues to unravel, a report in a US newspaper said the disgraced Hollywood movie mogul hired a private investigation firm to collect information in an effort to suppress woman or journalists looking to expose him of sexual misconduct. According to the The New Yorker, Weinstein employed Black Cube, which is mostly run by former Mossad officers and other Israeli intelligence agencies. With offices in Tel Aviv, London and Paris, the firm’s operatives are highly trained when it comes to intelligence gathering. He also hired Kroll, one of the world’s largest corporate-intelligence company, the report said. The investigator had allegedly met multiple woman's rights activists and women journalists to gather information and then passed on the information to Weinstein. Actress Rose McGowan who had accused Weinstein of rape, was among those who said she was targeted by Weinstein’s cadre of private investigators. Weinstein also hired law firms to help with the investigation, most notably David Boies. The New Yorker reported working with private investigation through law firms helps in protecting investigative information under attorney-client privilege. The investigative report also said that the victims were intimidated and threatened by Weinstein. In fact, Weinstein also intimidated David Carr, a journalist with The New York Times into not breaking a story of his alleged sexual assault years ago. The New Yorker reporter reviewed "dozens of pages of documents" and confirmed with seven people over Weinstein's reported hiring of private firms to pressure women.

Ex-Mossad officers were 'Army of spies' hired by Weinstein: Report

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