Israel Tried To ‘Turn’ Iranian Generals Against Ayatollah Just Before Bombs Fell

Iranian state media is reporting another arrest of alleged spy who was coordinating with Israeli intelligence. Agents working on behalf of Mossad are believed to have played key roles in Israel’s military attacks which kicked off nearly two weeks ago (on Friday, June 13).

But the new arrest announced on Tuesday has been identified as a European national - without much more information being provided from Fars News agency, which issued a statement.

The arrested individual was accused of “spying on sensitive and military areas” – according to the report. This comes amid a broader crackdown and search for people who may have been relaying sensitive and secret material, for example concerning the locations of Iran’s ballistic missiles and anti-air systems, to the Israeli government.

“Since the outbreak of conflict with Israel, Iran has arrested dozens of people and executed several accused of spying for Israel,” Al Jazeera reports.

“Earlier today, Iranian state media reported that six more people were arrested in the western Hamadan province for allegedly spying for Israel’s Mossad,” Al Jazeera says of Tuesday developments.

The trials appear to be taking place in rapid format, in military and judicial tribunals, sometimes convened in small rooms, at a moment Israeli warplanes have been striking sites in Tehran and across Western Iran.

It has become clear that Israel was engaged in a massive spying and espionage campaign to pave the way for its ‘Operation Rising Lion’ – which is intent on destroying Iran’s nuclear energy program, and possibly even accomplishing regime change.

The Washington Post reports on what’s been revealed as one of the most brazen recruitment operations aimed at top generals:

In the hours after Israel launched its first wave of strikes against Iran on June 13, killing top military leaders and nuclear scientists, Israeli intelligence operatives launched a covert campaign to intimidate senior officials with the apparent aim of dividing and destabilizing Tehran’s theocratic regime, according to three people familiar with the operation.

People working for Israel’s security services who speak Persian, Iran’s primary language, called senior Iranian officials on their cellphones and warned them that they, too, would die unless they ceased supporting the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, according to the three people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss clandestine operations. One of them estimated that more than 20 Iranians in positions of power were contacted.

But what’s clear from all the reporting on this is that these generals were more loyal than expected – and this wasn’t met with success for Israeli intelligence. WaPo and others have republished an audio recording of one such call that took place June 13 – the day Israeli warplanes initiated their attacks:

Mossad is phoning Iranian regime generals and warning them to flee the country in 12 hours or be killed. @WashPost has the receipts:pic.twitter.com/JHyHwaZWLK

— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) June 23, 2025

According to one translated part of the transcript: 

“I can advise you now, you have 12 hours to escape with your wife and child. Otherwise, you’re on our list right now,” an Israeli intelligence operative told a senior Iranian general close to the country’s rulers, according to the audio recording.

The operative then suggested that Israel could train weapons on the general and his family at any moment. “We’re closer to you than your own neck vein. Put this in your head. May God protect you,” he said.

This is without doubt fueling IRGC efforts to root out Israeli spy networks, amid the general (and understandable) paranoia over potential compromise and Israeli penetration. It’s widely believed that Israel uses Iranian dissident groups, like the cultic revolutionary MEK (People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran) group, which currently has its political leadership based in Europe.