Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?

Lebanon's new prime minister, Nawaf Salam, has been tasked to form a government to pull the war-scarred country out of economic crisis, after two years of a caretaker government. (AFP)
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Updated 16 January 2025
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Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?

  • Nawaf Salam’s appointment as Lebanon’s new prime minister reflects Hezbollah’s declining political influence
  • Broad international backing, including from Saudi Arabia and the EU, raises hope for reform and much-needed funding

DUBAI: From the halls of a top UN courthouse to steering a nation in turmoil, Nawaf Salam has been named as Lebanon’s new prime minister, signaling a shift in the political landscape toward consensus after two years of paralysis.

Salam, 71, a former president of the International Court of Justice at The Hague, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday tasked with forming a new government capable of implementing reforms to pull Lebanon out of the economic mire and spearhead postwar recovery.

He was nominated after securing 84 votes from the 128-member legislature, compared to nine votes for Najib Mikati, the caretaker prime minister, during consultations with parliamentary blocs on Monday led by Lebanon’s new President Joseph Aoun.




Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (C) and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) meeting with the new prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam (R) at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on January 14, 2025. (Lebanese presidency handout photo/AFP)

Thirty-four legislators abstained, opting instead for a “non-designation” stance after it became clear Mikati would lose.

Salam’s nomination was another strong indication of an emerging political consensus in Lebanon after last week’s election of army chief Aoun as president ended a two-year power vacuum.

Like Aoun, Salam does not hail from the country’s traditional political class or follow any political bloc.

The outcome was seen as a reflection of a growing momentum behind addressing Lebanon’s chronic governance challenges, restoring hope in the possibility of breaking the nation’s political gridlock amid a deeply divided parliament.




Lebanese people gather at Martyrs' Square in Beirut on January 13, 2025, in support of the nomination of former ICJ judge Nawaf Salam as prime minister of Lebanon. (AFP)

The choice of Salam also underscored the significant shift that has taken place in the balance of power among Lebanon’s sectarian factions in which the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia had long held sway.

Lawmakers from Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal Movement, failed to rally behind Mikati or delay the consultative process, which could have disrupted Salam’s designation.

In past years, Hezbollah has repeatedly blocked Salam from becoming prime minister, casting him as a US-backed candidate.

His appointment over Mikati, who is backed by the Hezbollah-led alliance, reflected the militia’s declining influence following its recent pummeling by Israel and the toppling of its Syrian regime ally Bashar Assad in December.

Hezbollah and Amal’s decision to abstain, without explicitly naming an alternative candidate, indicated they currently do not intend to participate in Salam’s government.




Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammad Raad speaks after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, on January 13, 2025. (REUTERS)

Salam won the backing of Christian and Druze factions, as well as prominent Sunni MPs, including Hezbollah allies and opponents who have long demanded the militant group give up its powerful arsenal, arguing it has undermined the state.

In a surprising turn, the Lebanese Forces announced their decision to withdraw the nomination of MP Fouad Makhzoumi for prime minister-designate and back Salam instead.

Signaling his satisfaction with the decision, Makhzoumi said: “Having multiple opposition candidates will inevitably lead to everyone losing.”

Salam’s prospects were further strengthened by the withdrawal of MP Ibrahim Mneimneh, who cited the need for consensus to address Lebanon’s many challenges during what he called a “foundational and transitional” phase.

In another unexpected development, Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil declared his support for Salam’s nomination as prime minister.




Gebran Bassil, leader of the Christian party Free Patriotic Movement, speaks after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, on January 13, 2025. (REUTERS)

Sunni MPs, the Kataeb party’s bloc, the Renewal Bloc, Change MPs and several independents initially supportive of Makhzoumi and Mneimneh, shifted their votes to Salam.

Salam’s background in law and diplomacy has bolstered his image as a figure of professionalism and integrity, resonating well with widespread calls for reform.

The prime minister-designate holds a doctorate in political science from France’s prestigious Sciences Po university as well as a doctorate in history from the Sorbonne. He also has a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School.

Salam hails from a prominent Sunni family from Beirut. His late paternal uncle, Saeb Salam, was one of the Lebanese leaders who fought for the country’s independence from France and later served as prime minister four times between 1952 and 1973.




This photo taken on September 28, 2011, shows Nawaf Salam (L), Lebanon's ambassador to the UN, with Riyad Mansour (R), Palestine ambassador to the UN, ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on the Palestinian request for full United Nations membership. (AFP file)

His cousin, Tammam Salam, also served as prime minister for two years in 2014-16.

Salam’s father, Abdullah Salim Salam, was the founder of Lebanon’s national airline, while his grandfather, Abi Salam, served as mayor and deputy of Beirut during the Ottoman era and was a leading advocate for reform.

Salam began his career in 1984 as a lawyer in several Lebanese courts, serving as a legal adviser to several local legal bodies and as a legal representative for international organizations until 2007.

In parallel, he pursued an academic path starting in 1979 as a lecturer at the Sorbonne, specializing in the modern history of the Middle East.




In this photo taken on September 23, 2011, then Lebanese Ambassador to UN Nawaf Salam is shown acknowledging that he received, as head of the Security Council, a formal request from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for the state of Palestine to become a full member of the UN. (AFP file)

He later became a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and a lecturer at the American University of Beirut where he taught international law and relations, served as a visiting professor and associate professor in political science, and rose to become the head of the Department of Political Studies and Public Administration in 2007.

Salam is also an accomplished author, with contributions in law, international law, history, and political science.

In 2007, he was named Lebanon’s permanent representative to the UN in New York, where he served for 10 years. During his tenure, Salam presided over the 67th session of the UN Security Council and served as vice president of the General Assembly until 2013, where he became an advocate for Lebanon’s vital interests and broader Arab and international issues.




In this photo taken on July 19, 2024, Nawaf Salam 2nd R), judge and president of the International Court of Justice, delivers a non-binding ruling on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem at the ICJ in The Hague. (AFP)

In 2018, Salam became a judge at the ICJ and, in February last year, was elected president of the court, becoming the first Lebanese citizen to hold the post.

He took over the court’s presidency as it held its first hearing in 2024 on a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, which Israel has dismissed as baseless. He is set to be replaced by Ugandan judge Julia Sebutinde, who will now oversee the case.

During his tenure at the ICJ, Salam issued a historic advisory opinion condemning the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and called for the halt of the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Earlier, Salam played a significant role in electoral reform during his three-year tenure as a member of the executive office of Lebanon’s Economic and Social Council and as a rapporteur in the National Commission for Electoral Law Reform until 2005.




Lebanon's new Prime Minister Nawaf Salam faces the challenge of rebuilding areas damaged by Israeli airstrikes during its war with Hezbollah. (AFP) 

Salam now faces one of the biggest challenges of his career as he begins consultations with MPs to form a new cabinet.

Lebanese political leaders and President Aoun, in his inaugural address, have emphasized that the new government must be built on national unity to address the urgent needs of the Lebanese people and navigate the country’s dire economic, social, and political crises.

Rebuilding areas damaged by Israeli airstrikes during its war with Hezbollah and implementing reforms to satisfy international donors amid the country’s worst economic crisis in its history are the top priorities ahead of Salam.




Another key challenge facing PM Nawaf Salam is the disarmament of the Hezbollah militia, whose war with Israel has brought about massive deaths and destruction to Lebanon. (AFP photo)

One of the most sensitive tasks is the disarmament of Hezbollah, consolidating all weapons under state institutions in accordance with national laws and as pledged by Aoun in his inaugural address.

Salam’s government will need to craft new political understandings to redefine Lebanon’s approach to Hezbollah. This includes guiding the militia’s transition from its historical reliance on Iranian and Syrian ties to a framework that prioritizes national interests.

Deploying the Lebanese army to reclaim full sovereignty over national borders and to secure the return of territories occupied by Israel — particularly those seized during the recent conflict — will be critical.




A convoy of Lebanese army military vehicles is seen entering the southern Lebanese coastal town of Naqura, on the border with Israel on January 7, 2025, after Israel's withdrawal from the area as part of the ceasefire agreement between the two countries. (AFP)

These efforts will involve leveraging regional and international support to implement UN Resolution 1701, which mandates an end to hostilities with Israel under international law.

Salam’s appointment has already garnered widespread backing, particularly from Saudi Arabia, alongside other Arab nations, Western allies, the Arab League, and the UN, which have expressed their commitment to Lebanon’s democratic process and the incoming government.

Shortly after the announcement of the new prime minister, Mikati called Salam to congratulate him and wish him success in his mission to form a new administration.




Lebanon's new Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (L) speaks with the country's outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati during their meeting in Beirut on January 14, 2025.(AFP)

Mikati said his caretaker government, which navigated Lebanon during a tumultuous period, had laid the foundations for postwar recovery through issuing draft laws ready for parliamentary approval and preparing reform projects.

He stressed the need for unity and consensus to lead the next phase for Lebanon.

“Past experiences have shown that there is no alternative to consensus and that an approach of defiance has cost us many opportunities for recovery,” Mikati said. “The challenges we face are undoubtedly great, but the will of our people is stronger.”

Congratulating Salam, EU Ambassador to Lebanon Sandra De Waele called for a swift government formation to launch much-needed reforms and revive state institutions.

The regional and international backing for Salam’s designation is likely to lead to a flow of funds from Western and Arab nations, crucial in helping his new cabinet in the reconstruction process and Lebanon’s recovery.
 

 


Qatari minister of state, IAEA chief discuss ‘serious threat’ of Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites

Updated 4 sec ago
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Qatari minister of state, IAEA chief discuss ‘serious threat’ of Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites

  • Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi reiterates Qatar’s condemnation of attacks on Iranian territory
  • He said targeting nuclear facilities threatens regional, international security

LONDON: The Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi on Tuesday discussed the conflict between Israel and Iran with Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Al-Khulaifi discussed in a call the Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities that began on Friday, targeting the Natanz, Fordo, and Isfahan nuclear sites.

Al-Khulaifi stressed that targeting nuclear facilities was a serious threat to regional and international security. He reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to dialogue to resolve conflicts and achieve peace in the region.

The officials discussed ways to improve the security of nuclear facilities and ensure they are safeguarded against threats, the Qatar News Agency reported.

Al-Khulaifi reiterated Qatar’s strong condemnation of the Israeli attacks on Iranian territory, deeming them blatant violations of Iran’s sovereignty and security, the QNA added.

The IAEA reported on Monday that the Israeli airstrike on Iran’s Natanz facility on Friday damaged the centrifuges of the underground uranium enrichment plant, raising concerns about potential radiological and chemical contamination in the area.


Regional war puts Palestinian disarmament in Lebanese camps on hold

Updated 40 min 55 sec ago
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Regional war puts Palestinian disarmament in Lebanese camps on hold

  • Dimashkieh affirmed that “the dialogue committee is fully committed to the joint statement issued by the Lebanese and Palestinian presidents”
  • Palestinian sources told Arab News that significant resistance has emerged within Palestinian ranks over Abbas’s quick acceptance of disarmament deadlines

BEIRUT: A Palestinian official in Lebanon announced “the postponement of the scheduled collection of weapons from Palestinian refugee camps due to the current situation in the region.”

The announcement came just hours before the Lebanese government was set to begin disarming Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut and its suburbs this week.

Citing a Lebanese official familiar with Palestinian affairs in Lebanon, Palestinian news agency WAFA stated that “Palestine renewed its commitment to the joint statement issued on May 21 following the meeting held between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and President Mahmoud Abbas in Beirut.”

He added that the statement emphasized “Lebanon’s sovereignty, the extension of state authority, and the exclusive right of the Lebanese state to bear arms, as well as the need to end any manifestations outside its authority.

“Palestinian security and military bodies will begin full cooperation with the Lebanese security forces as agreed upon when conditions permit and after the necessary preparations are completed,” the official said.

On the Lebanese side, the only statement issued in this regard was by Ramez Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, who said that “he received a call from Azzam Al-Ahmad, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, during which they discussed the latest developments.”

Dimashkieh affirmed that “the dialogue committee is fully committed to the joint statement issued by the Lebanese and Palestinian presidents, which clearly emphasized respect for Lebanese sovereignty, the principle of exclusive state control over weapons, and the necessity of ending the visible presence of Palestinian arms, according to a specific timeline.”

Youssef Al-Zari’i, Fatah’s media representative in Sidon, confirmed that Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Islamic movements, all expressed willingness to hand over weapons and allow Lebanese authority throughout the country.

However, he argued that delays are “reasonable given the delicate regional situation,” with implementation tied to evolving Middle Eastern dynamics.

Palestinian sources told Arab News that significant resistance has emerged within Palestinian ranks over Abbas’s quick acceptance of disarmament deadlines. “Multiple Palestinian factions, particularly within Fatah, are uncomfortable with Abbas’s hasty agreement to weapon collection schedules,” one insider said.

Beyond regional timing issues, fundamental questions about execution mechanisms remain unresolved.

“Fatah claims it holds limited heavy weapons in Lebanese camps compared to other groups, especially Hamas,” a source said.

Since Fatah’s weapons belong to the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority and operate under Lebanese oversight, unilateral disarmament could create dangerous imbalances.

“If Fatah surrenders its arsenal while Hamas and affiliated groups retain theirs, Fatah becomes vulnerable within camp dynamics,” the source warned.

Hamas continues defending its Lebanese weapons as legitimate resistance tools while deflecting surrender demands through broader political arguments. The group links disarmament to comprehensive refugee solutions, including return rights and enhanced social protections for displaced populations in Lebanon.

Palestinian camps across Lebanon emphasize that sustainable solutions must address living standards, legal rights including property ownership, while maintaining respect for Lebanese sovereignty and law.

The Lebanese and Palestinian presidents announced in a joint statement issued following their meeting a few weeks ago “the formation of joint committees to address the issue of Palestinian weapons in refugee camps and to monitor the situation in the Palestinian camps.”

They affirmed their commitment to the principle of placing all weapons under Lebanese state control.

According to a joint Lebanese-Palestinian census conducted in 2017, the number of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is estimated at around 200,000. Many live in harsh conditions within camps overseen by Palestinian factions and forces, which consider the possession of arms as integral to both the right of return and the broader struggle for the liberation of Palestine.

Lebanon is home to 12 official Palestinian refugee camps, along with dozens of other communities dispersed across the country.

The presence of weapons in Palestinian camps in Lebanon dates back to the 1969 Cairo Agreement between the PLO and the Lebanese government.

The agreement stipulated that Palestinians were permitted to establish military bases in southern Lebanon and conduct political activities within the camps, effectively legitimizing armed Palestinian presence on Lebanese soil and in camps.

However, following a civil war in which Palestinian weapons played a dominant role, Lebanon officially annulled the agreement in 1987.

Weapons are distributed unevenly among the camps. Heavy weapons are found in the Ain Al-Hilweh camp, the most overcrowded camp and home to the various politically and militarily diverse factions, and in the Rashidieh camp in the Tyre region.

This is in contrast to the Nahr Al-Bared camp in the north, which is completely devoid of weapons. It has been under the control of the Lebanese Army since 2007, following violent battles that lasted for more than three months between the Lebanese Army and Fatah Al-Islam, which launched attacks against the military that killed dozens.

The disarmament process was scheduled to begin this week in the Shatila, Mar Elias, and Burj Al-Barajneh camps in Beirut and its southern suburbs.

“A committee was supposed to be formed to oversee implementation. There were discussions about assigning this role to the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, which was seen by some as the appropriate authority. However, others dismissed it as a political body unrelated to the issue. This raised further questions: Who would assume responsibility for internal Palestinian affairs once weapons were handed over? Who would manage security inside the camps? And who would handle the cases of wanted individuals and those who had taken refuge there?” a Palestinian source stated.

In recent months, the Lebanese Army has confiscated weapons from Palestinian military sites supported by the Syrian regime and located in the Bekaa Valley on the border with Syria. The most important of these was a base in Qusaya belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, General Command and Fatah Al-Intifada, confiscating their equipment and ammunition.

Before the outbreak of the Nahr Al-Bared camp battles, Lebanese political leaders had agreed during national dialogue talks to disarm Palestinians outside the camps within six months.

This commitment was later echoed in the 2008 Doha Agreement, which outlined a national defense strategy that included addressing Palestinian arms both inside and outside the camps.

However, these decisions were never implemented. In the years that followed, Ain Al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, repeatedly witnessed violent clashes among rival Palestinian factions.


Israel closes Al-Aqsa Mosque, Church of the Holy Sepulchre under ‘emergency’ measures

Updated 17 June 2025
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Israel closes Al-Aqsa Mosque, Church of the Holy Sepulchre under ‘emergency’ measures

  • Most shops in Jerusalem’s Old City have been closed, with only essential stores remaining open since Friday
  • Palestinians in Jerusalem fear for their safety due to lack of proper shelters amid Israel-Iran conflict

LONDON: Israeli authorities in occupied East Jerusalem have imposed a closure for the fifth consecutive day on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre while barring non-resident visitors from entering the Old City.

Israel announced a state of emergency after beginning airstrikes against Iran on Friday. Tehran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles at Israeli coastal towns and cities. Israel’s emergency measures prevented Palestinians and worshipers from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards, as well as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem Governorate added on Tuesday that most shops in the Old City had been closed, with only essential stores remaining open since Friday, Wafa news agency reported.

Israeli authorities have permitted settlers to visit the area surrounding the Al-Aqsa compound and perform Jewish prayers and rituals, while forces have intensified daily raids on Palestinian towns and suburbs in Jerusalem, including the Mount of Olives, Silwan, Issawiya, Shufaat, Hizma, Eizariya, Bir Nabala and Al-Ram, Wafa added. East Jerusalem is surrounded by 84 checkpoints and barriers, including recently installed earth mounds and gates.

Although Jerusalem has been spared so far from the Israel-Iran conflict, Palestinians in the city fear for their safety due to a lack of proper shelters within their towns and neighborhoods, Wafa reported.

Israeli authorities in Jerusalem have announced the opening of schools to be used as shelters from Iranian missile attacks. However, some Palestinian experts warned that the facilities may not be large enough to accommodate a significant number of residents, and some are even unsuitable for receiving civilians.


WHO says Gaza health care at breaking point as fuel runs out

Updated 17 June 2025
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WHO says Gaza health care at breaking point as fuel runs out

  • “For over 100 days, no fuel has entered Gaza and attempts to retrieve stocks from evacuation zones have been denied,” said Peeperkorn
  • Peeperkorn said only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals were currently minimally to partially functional

GENEVA: The World Health Organization on Tuesday pleaded for fuel to be allowed into Gaza to keep its remaining hospitals running, warning the Palestinian territory’s health system was at “breaking point.”

“For over 100 days, no fuel has entered Gaza and attempts to retrieve stocks from evacuation zones have been denied,” said Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories.

“Combined with critical supply shortages, this is pushing the health system closer to the brink of collapse.”

Peeperkorn said only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals were currently minimally to partially functional. They have a total of around 1,500 beds — around 45 percent fewer than before the conflict began.

He said all hospitals and primary health centers in north Gaza were currently out of service.

In Rafah in southern Gaza, health services are provided through the Red Cross field hospital and two partially-functioning medical points.

Speaking from Jerusalem, he said the 17 partially functioning hospitals and seven field hospitals were barely running on a minimum amount of daily fuel and “will soon have none left.”

“Without fuel, all levels of care will cease, leading to more preventable deaths and suffering.”

Hospitals were already switching between generators and batteries to power ventilators, dialysis machines and incubators, he said, and without fuel, ambulances cannot run and supplies cannot be delivered to hospitals.

Furthermore, field hospitals are entirely reliant on generators, and without electricity, the cold chain for keeping vaccines would fail.

The war was triggered by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to official Israeli figures.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Monday that 5,194 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on the territory on March 18 following a truce.

The overall death toll in Gaza since the war broke out on October 7, 2023 has reached 55,493 people, according to the health ministry.

“People often ask when Gaza is going to be out of fuel; Gaza is already out of fuel,” said WHO trauma surgeon and emergency officer Thanos Gargavanis, speaking from the Strip.

“We are walking already the fine line that separates disaster from saving lives. The shrinking humanitarian space makes every health activity way more difficult than the previous day.”


How Israel used spies, smuggled drones and AI to stun and hobble Iran

Updated 17 June 2025
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How Israel used spies, smuggled drones and AI to stun and hobble Iran

  • The Mossad and the military worked together for at least three years to lay the operational groundwork, according to a former intelligence officer who said he had knowledge of the attack

JERUSALEM: Israel stunned and hobbled Iran last week when it pulled off an intelligence and military operation years in the making that struck high-level targets with precision.
Guided by spies and artificial intelligence, the Israeli military unleashed a nighttime fusillade of warplanes and armed drones smuggled into Iran to quickly incapacitate many of its air defenses and missile systems. With greater freedom to fly over Iran, Israel bombarded key nuclear sites and killed top generals and scientists. By the time Iran mustered a response hours later, its ability to retaliate — already weakened by past Israeli strikes — was greatly diminished.
This account is based on conversations with 10 current and former Israeli intelligence and military officials, some of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss clandestine operations.
It was not possible to independently verify some of their claims. But the former head of research at Israel’s spy agency, the Mossad, confirmed the basic contours of the attack, saying she had inside knowledge of how it was planned and executed.
“This attack is the culmination of years of work by the Mossad to target Iran’s nuclear program,” said Sima Shine, the former Mossad research director who is now an analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies.
Israel’s element of surprise was enhanced by Iranian officials’ apparent assumption that Israel wouldn’t attack while talks over its rapidly advancing nuclear program were ongoing with the US
A sixth round of talks had been planned for last Sunday in Oman, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu activated “Operation Rising Lion” on Friday – after his country first notified President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu has for years said neutralizing Iran’s nuclear program was vital for Israel’s security, and Israel had previously taken steps to set back Iran’s ability to enrich uranium to weapons grade. But Netanyahu said a more aggressive attack proved necessary, as Iran kept advancing its enrichment program despite US diplomatic efforts and warnings from UN watchdogs.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini has repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction. Iran’s political leaders say their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though it was the only country without the bomb to enrich uranium close to weapons-grade levels.
Smuggling drones into Iran
The Mossad and the military worked together for at least three years to lay the operational groundwork, according to a former intelligence officer who said he had knowledge of the attack. This person spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the subject.
The attack built off knowledge Israel gained during a wave of airstrikes last October, which “highlighted the weakness of Iranian air defenses,” said Naysan Rafati, an Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group.
To further diminish Iranian air defenses and missile systems at the start of last week’s attack, Mossad agents had smuggled precision weapons into Iran that were prepositioned to strike from close range, according to two current security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the missions. Those weapons included small, armed drones, which agents snuck into the country in vehicles, according to the former intelligence officer.
Mossad agents stationed weapons close to Iranian surface-to-air missile sites, Shine said. The agency works with a mix of people, both locals and Israelis, she said.
Using AI and human intelligence to select targets
To analyze information gathered from various sources, Israel used the latest artificial-intelligence, or AI, technology, said an intelligence officer involved with selecting individuals and sites to target. He said AI was used to help Israelis quickly sift through troves of data they had obtained. That effort began last October according to the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media; it was one month before Netanyahu said he had ordered the attack plans.
An investigation by The Associated Press earlier this year uncovered that the Israeli military uses US-made AI models in war to sift through intelligence and intercept communications to learn the movements of its enemies. It’s been used in the wars with Hamas in Gaza and with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The intelligence officer involved in identifying the possible targets said options were first put into various groups, such as leadership, military, civilian and infrastructure. Targets were chosen if they were determined to be a threat to Israel, such as being deeply associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard — a paramilitary force that controls Iran’s ballistic missiles.
The officer was tasked with putting together a list of Iranian generals, including details on where they worked and spent their free time.
Among the high-level military officials killed since Friday’s attack were Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and Gen. Mohammed Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces.
In addition to AI, the Mossad relied on spies to identify top nuclear scientists and members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, according to one security official. At least eight members of the Guard, including the head of its missile program, were killed in a single Israeli strike on an underground bunker.
Targeting Iranian vehicles
Another facet of the attack was to strike Iranian vehicles used to transport and launch missiles.
Shine said the strategy was similar to a Ukrainian operation earlier this month in Russia. In that operation, nearly a third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet was destroyed or damaged with cheaply made drones snuck into Russian territory, according to Ukrainian officials.
In an interview with Iranian state-run television, the country’s police chief, Gen. Ahmadreza Radan, said “several vehicles carrying mini-drones and some tactical drones have been discovered.” He added: “a number of traitors are trying to engage the country’s air defense by flying some mini-drones.”
How far back does this go?

The Mossad is believed to have carried out numerous covert attacks on the Iranian nuclear program over the years, including cyberattacks and the killing of Iranian nuclear scientists. But it rarely acknowledges such operations.
In the 2000s, Iranian centrifuges used for enriching uranium were destroyed by the so-called Stuxnet computer virus, believed to be an Israeli and American creation.
In 2018, Israel stole an archive of Iranian nuclear research that included tens of thousands of pages of records, said Yossi Kuperwasser, a retired general and former military intelligence researcher who now directs the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.
In July 2024, Israel killed a senior leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, with a bomb in a bedroom of a government guesthouse in Tehran.
Israel’s blistering attack last week on the heart of Iran’s nuclear and military structure didn’t come out of nowhere, said retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, who heads the Israel Defense and Security Forum think tank.
It was the result of “Israeli intelligence working extensively for years in Iran and establishing a very strong robust presence,” he said.