New Details on Israeli Intel Breakthrough That Targeted Iranian Leaders’ Meeting
Israel targeted a secret meeting of senior Iranian officials in a Tehran bunker by exploiting weaknesses within the leaders circle, revealing critical flaws in Iran’s defenses.
On June 16, 2025, during the fourth day of Operation Rising Lion, a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, Israeli intelligence capitalized on a critical security lapse to target a clandestine meeting of Iran’s top officials. The gathering, held in a fortified bunker 30 meters beneath a mountainous region in western Tehran, included President Masoud Pezeshkian, senior judicial figures, intelligence chiefs, and high-ranking military commanders. Israeli Air Force jets launched six missiles at the bunker, aiming to seal its entry and exit points. While none of the senior officials inside were harmed, several security guards stationed outside perished in the attack.
The operation’s success hinged on exploiting the careless use of mobile phones by the officials’ security personnel. Although Iran’s senior leaders adhered to strict protocols banning personal devices, their bodyguards and drivers did not, often using phones and even posting on social media. This vulnerability allowed Israeli intelligence to pinpoint the bunker’s location with precision. An Israeli official remarked, “The mere use of so many security personnel was a vulnerability we imposed on them, and we exploited it.” Similarly, Sasan Karimi, a former Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs, admitted, “Senior leaders did not carry phones, but their guards and drivers did, and they did not take precautions. That’s how Israel found them.”
This incident was part of a broader Israeli strategy during the June conflict, where similar lapses enabled the targeting of Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders. The attack exposed significant gaps in Iran’s security protocols, leading to internal investigations and the execution of a nuclear scientist, Roozbeh Vadi, for alleged espionage. The strike demonstrated Israel’s advanced intelligence capabilities, including Mossad’s infiltration efforts, which have disrupted Iran’s military and nuclear operations, killing dozens of key figures.