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Mossad

Organization

The national intelligence agency of Israel, credited with the sophisticated assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, demonstrating its formidable capabilities.


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8/26/2025, 6:27:04 AM

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8/26/2025, 6:28:32 AM

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8/26/2025, 6:28:32 AM

Summary

Mossad is Israel's national intelligence agency, operating as a key part of the Israeli Intelligence Community alongside Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security). It is primarily responsible for intelligence gathering, covert operations, and counter-terrorism activities abroad, with its director reporting directly to the Prime Minister. With an estimated annual budget of 10 billion shekels (US$2.73 billion) and approximately 7,000 employees, Mossad is recognized as one of the world's largest espionage agencies. Notably, its specific powers, objectives, and budget are not defined by law, distinguishing it from other Israeli security bodies. Its formidable capabilities were recently highlighted by the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, an event that significantly increased the risk of a regional war in the Middle East.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Type

    National Intelligence Agency

  • Country

    Israel

  • Headquarters

    Tel Aviv, Israel

  • Legal Status

    Purpose, objectives, roles, missions, powers, or budget are not defined in any law

  • Annual Budget

    Approximately 10 billion shekels (US$2.73 billion)

  • Official Name

    The Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (ha-Mosad le-Modi'in u-le-Tafkidim Meyuḥadim)

  • First Director

    Reuven Shiloah

  • Primary Functions

    Intelligence collection, covert operations, counter-terrorism

  • Number of Employees

    Approximately 7,000

  • Reporting Structure

    Director reports directly to the Prime Minister of Israel

  • Founder (Recommender)

    David Ben-Gurion

Timeline
  • Mossad was formed as the Central Institute for Coordination at the recommendation of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to Reuven Shiloah, to coordinate and improve cooperation between existing security services. (Source: Web Search (Wikipedia))

    1949-12-13

  • Mossad agents tracked down and assassinated Arab guerrilla leaders responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. (Source: Web Search (Britannica))

    1972-09-05

  • The Israeli Government publicly announced the appointment of Major General Danny Yatom as the new Director of Mossad, a role traditionally kept secret. (Source: Web Search (FAS))

    1996-03-XX

  • Mossad has been linked with several assassinations of Palestinian leaders in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. (Source: Web Search (Britannica))

    XXXX-XX-XX

  • The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Iran, was analyzed as a demonstration of Mossad's formidable capabilities, significantly raising the risk of a regional war in the Middle East. (Source: Related Documents, Summary)

    2024-07-31

Web Search Results
  • Mossad - Wikipedia

    The Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Hebrew: המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, romanized:_ha-Mosád le-Modiʿín u-le-Tafkidím Meyuḥadím_), popularly known as Mossad( (UK: /ˈ m ɒ s æ d/_MOSS-ad_, US: /m oʊ ˈ s ɑː d/_moh-SAHD_), is the national intelligence agency of the State of Israel. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Aman "Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)") (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security). [...] Mossad was formed on December 13, 1949, as the Central Institute for Coordination at the recommendation of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to Reuven Shiloah. Ben Gurion wanted a central body to coordinate and improve cooperation between the existing security services—the army's intelligence department (AMAN "Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)")), the Internal Security Service (_Shin Bet_), and the Political Intelligence Service (Mossad).( The central body governing the three security [...] Image 4: Extended-protected article From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia National intelligence agency of Israel For the institute that facilitated Jewish immigration to British Palestine from 1938 to 1952, see Mossad LeAliyah Bet. Mossad Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים‎ الموساد للاستخبارات والمهام الخاصة‎ Image 5

  • Mossad | Israel, History, & Famous Operations - Britannica

    Formally established in December 1949 as the Institute for Co-ordination, the Mossad was the successor to the intelligence arm of the Haganah (the Jewish military force in Palestine during the British mandate period). Reuven Shiloah, who had been involved in special operations and secret diplomacy during the pre-state period, served as the first director. Bureaucratic conflicts hampered the new agency in its early days; it took more than a year for the agency to become operational, and it [...] Mossad, (Hebrew: “Central Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations”), one of the three major intelligence organizations of Israel, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security). The Mossad is concerned with foreign intelligence gathering, intelligence analysis, and covert operations. [...] The Mossad and its operatives have carried out undercover operations against enemies of Israel and former Nazi war criminals living abroad. Mossad agents tracked down and assassinated the Arab guerrilla leaders responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, and the Mossad has also been linked with several assassinations of Palestinian leaders in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

  • Israeli Intelligence Agencies

    > ## Mossad The Institute for Intelligence and Special Tasks [ha-Mossad le-Modiin ule-Tafkidim Meyuhadim] > > Mossad [Hebrew for "institute"] has responsibility for human intelligence collection, covert action, and counterterrorism. Its focus is on Arab nations and organizations throughout the world. Mossad also is responsible for the clandestine movement of Jewish refugees out of Syria, Iran, and Ethiopia. Mossad agents are active in the former communist countries, in the West, and at the UN. [...] > Mossad is headquartered in Tel Aviv. The staff of Mossad was estimated during the late 1980s to number between 1,500 to 2,000 personnel, with more recent estimates placing the staff at an estimated 1,200 personnel. The identity of the director of Mossad was traditionally a state secret, or at least not widely publicized, until in March 1996 the Government announced the appointment of Major General Danny Yatom as the replacement for Mossad Director Shabtai Shavit, who resigned in early 1996. [...] > > Formerly known as the Central Institute for Coordination and the Central Institute for Intelligence and Security, Mossad was formed on 01 April 1951. Mossad was established by then Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, who gave as Mossad's primary directive: "For our state which since its creation has been under siege by its enemies. Intelligence constitutes the first line of defence...we must learn well how to recognise what is going on around us." >

  • Inside Mossad: Israel's Elite Spy Agency - Spyscape

    This story is part of our weekly briefing. Sign up to receive the FREE briefing to your inbox. With an annual budget of about $3bn and 7,000 staff, Mossad is the second-largest espionage agency in the Western world after the CIA. That makes the person chosen to be the head of Mossad very powerful. [...] Inside Mossad: Israel's Elite Spy Agency 5 minute read By SPYSCAPE | | With an annual budget of about $3bn and 7,000 staff, Mossad is the second-largest espionage agency in the Western world after the CIA. That makes the person chosen to be the head of Mossad very powerful.

  • Mossad | history

    The Mossad was established immediately after the establishment of the State of Israel, when Prime Minister David Ben Gurion recognized that national frameworks must be set up for the intelligence bodies that already operated prior to the establishment of the state. As is customary worldwide, the decision was to set up three separate frameworks: A military intelligence service (later IDI), an internal security service (later ISA), and an intelligence service operating abroad (later Mossad). [...] The Mossad was established immediately after the establishment of the State of Israel, when Prime Minister David Ben Gurion recognized that national frameworks must be set up for the intelligence bodies that already operated prior to the establishment of the state. As is customary worldwide, the decision was to set up three separate frameworks: A military intelligence service (later IDI), an internal security service (later ISA), and an intelligence service operating abroad (later Mossad). [...] # Mossad ## Israeli Secret Intelligence Service hamburger jobs lobby The establishment of the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad)

Mossad (UK: /ˈmɒsæd/ MOSS-ad, US: /moʊˈsɑːd/ moh-SAHD) is the national intelligence agency of Israel. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security). Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism. Its director answers directly and only to the Prime Minister. Its annual budget is estimated to be around 10 billion shekels (US$2.73 billion) and it is estimated that it employs around 7,000 people directly, making it the one of the world's largest espionage agencies. Unlike other security bodies (such as the Israel Defense Forces or the Israel Security Agency), its purpose, objectives, roles, missions, powers or budget have not been defined in any law.

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Location Data

המוסד למודיעין ותפקידים מיוחדים, רמת השרון, נפת תל אביב, מחוז תל אביב, ישראל

military

Coordinates: 32.1436406, 34.8045523

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