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Iran Rattled as Israel Repeatedly Strikes Key Targets

(New York Times) Ben Hubbard - In less than nine months, an al-Qaeda commander given refuge in Tehran was fatally shot, Iran's chief nuclear scientist was killed, and two separate explosions rocked a key Iranian nuclear facility. In addition, in 2018, Israel carried out a daring nighttime raid in Tehran to steal a half-ton of secret archives of Iran's nuclear program. The attacks highlighted the seeming ease with which Israeli intelligence was able to reach deep inside Iran and repeatedly strike its most heavily guarded targets, often with the help of local Iranians, casting a cloud of paranoia over the country. Lawmakers have demanded the resignation of top security and intelligence officials. Moreover, an intelligence official said the additional steps Iran has taken to scan buildings for surveillance devices and plumb employees' backgrounds to root out potential spies has slowed down enrichment work. "That the Israelis are effectively able to hit Iran inside in such a brazen way is hugely embarrassing and demonstrates a weakness that I think plays poorly inside Iran," said Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.
2021-04-22 00:00:00
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