Latest news with #OperationBrambleBush
India.com
14 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
When Mossad's secret 'suicidal mission' to kill Saddam Hussein ended in tragedy, Israeli commandos returned in coffins due to..., truth was...
The tensions between Israel and Iran continue to escalate with every passing day. The conflict escalated dramatically on June 13, with Israel's launch of 'Operation Rising Lion', which involved loose strikes against Iran's nuclear and military facilities. Iran has responded to this attack, and there has been intense and ongoing activity across the region. Amid all of this, the issue is now whether the United States will also join Israel's ongoing war against Iran, with President Donald Trump set to make a decision in the next two weeks. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday (local time), citing a continued possibility of diplomatic engagement with Tehran. Addressing a briefing at the White House, Leavitt read out a statement from President Trump, who acknowledged the potential for diplomatic negotiations despite the escalating conflict in the Middle East. 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' Leavitt quoted the President as saying. Israel has reportedly killed many of Iran's highest-ranking State military leaders and nuclear scientists, raising tensions between the two countries. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday issued a serious threat to Israel of retaliation.'We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy,' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote in English on X. As Israel and the United States ramp up their threats to Iran and its Supreme Leader, an unsettling and chilling memory from the early 1990s arises—a secret, maximally ravenous plot to assassinate former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. So-called Operation Bramble Bush failed, but it is a timely reminder of just how fast international diplomacy can devolve into dangerous, visceral acts of terror shaped by politics and power. According to an NDTV report, after the Gulf War in 1991, Israel viewed Saddam Hussein as an unstable and dangerous threat. While Israel was not a combatant in the Gulf War, it had been subjected to a number of Scud missile attacks from Iraq. Furthermore, various intelligence agencies had reported sights that Saddam was working on weapons of mass destruction. In recognition of the danger this presented, Israeli military and intelligence officials began to develop a plan to assassinate Saddam in a public appearance so that they could eliminate a threat which they considered to be growing and unpredictable. The mission, known only as Operation Bramble Bush, was assigned to Sayeret Matkal, Israel's premier special forces unit. The target was a funeral in Saddam Hussein's birthplace of Tikrit. As per the NDTV report, the plan was for Israeli commandos disguised as Arabs to infiltrate the area undetected and attack Saddam's convoy using shoulder-launched missiles as he left the funeral. The intelligence for the mission was provided by Mossad, and the final order for the op was made by the most senior command of the Israeli military. On November 5, 1992, the Sayeret Matkal team gathered in the Negev Desert to conduct a live-fire rehearsal of their planned action. The exercise was intended to prepare the team as closely as possible to the strike on Saddam Hussein. The team used real, armed missiles and was under the assumption that proper safety precautions were taken, and they could not go wrong. During the simulation, an unfortunate and tragic error occurred when one of the operatives mistakenly launched a live missile at his own unit, killing five soldiers from the elite troops and injuring six others seriously. The mission was terminated as soon as possible, and a rehearsal turned into a national tragedy. This incident subsequently became known as the Tze'elim Bet catastrophe, a tragic chapter in Israel's military history. An internal inquiry revealed monumental breakdowns in planning, communication, and risk management. Two days after the disastrous rehearsal, Operation Bramble Bush had been formally cancelled. The dead elite commandos were kept a secret from the public for years, and the entire mission was classified, hidden in the darkness of military secrecy. Thirty years later, Israel is once again waging war against the top leadership of a rival nation—and this time, it is not Baghdad, it is Tehran. In recent days, Israeli forces executed another series of precision strikes that have successfully targeted and killed several of the most important members of Iran's leadership. These include killing the IRGC chief General Hossein Salami and aerospace commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and several members of Iran's leadership in the Iran nuclear program. The strikes also targeted important nuclear sites in Natanz, Isfahan, and Arak, all of which will delay Iran's nuclear program going forward.
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Israel-Iran Attacks Live Updates: No Radiological Effects From Israel Strike On Iran Reactor Says UN Nuclear Watchdog
Israel-Iran Day 7 Live Updates: As the Israel-Iran conflict enters its seventh day, Israel said it attacked Iran's Arak nuclear reactor and a nuclear weapons development site in the Natanz area. Meanwhile, an Iranian missile slammed into a hospital in the south of Israel, causing "extensive damage". Israel has vowed to "increase the intensity of attacks" after the hospital was hit. Moreover, Tel Aviv's residential buildings were hit by another missile. Around 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service. US President Donald Trump said he was still considering a military strike on Iran's nuclear sites. "I may do it. I may not do it," he said. "Nobody knows what I'm going to do." However, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the "unconditional surrender" Trump was demanding for, was "threatening and ridiculous" and added that US intervention will lead to "irreparable damage". Per the Associated Press, Israeli strikes on Iran have killed 639 people and wounded 1,329 others. Here Are The Live Updates On Israel-Iran Attacks: Israel, Iran Iraq, Operation Bramble Bush: How Mossad's Saddam Plot Failed, And Left Elite Israeli Soldiers In Coffins The Middle East is once again on edge. What began as a sudden burst of Israeli airstrikes has now erupted into a full-blown military confrontation with Iran. Israel killed several of Iran's top military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran, Israel, Ayatollah Khamenei: Who Is In Line To Succeed Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei? Here Are Top Contenders As the Israel-Iran air war intensifies, US President Donald Trump has raised the stakes with a chilling warning: "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding... We are not going to take him out, at least not for now." Meet Reza Pahlavi, The Lesser-Known Son Of Last Shah Of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict has brought attention back to a man whose father once reigned supreme in Tehran. Governments Struggle To Evacuate Nationals From Iran, Israel Amid Conflict Governments around the world are attempting to evacuate thousands of their nationals caught up in the rapidly spiralling Israel-Iran conflict, organising buses and planes and in some cases assisting people crossing borders on foot. When Mossad Walked Out Of Tehran With 500 kg Of Nuclear Blueprints In the early hours of June 13, Israel initiated what it called a "necessary preemptive action" against Iran. Over 100 air and drone strikes pounded key nuclear, military, and intelligence sites across the Islamic Republic. India, US, Russia And Others: How These 9 Countries Acquired Nuclear Weapons; Iran-Israel Conflict For over three decades, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu consistently claimed Iran was months away from becoming a nuclear power and that it posed an existential threat to his nation. Jun 19, 2025 16:26 (IST) Israel-Iran Attacks: Iran's Khamenei "Can No Longer Be Allowed To Exist": Israel's Direct Threat Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "can no longer be allowed to exist," Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said today after an Iranian missile hit a hospital in a town near Tel Aviv. Mr Khamenei will be held accountable over the hospital strike, the minister said. Jun 19, 2025 16:25 (IST) Share Iran's Khamenei "Can No Longer Be Allowed To Exist": Israel's Direct Threat Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "can no longer be allowed to exist," Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said today after an Iranian missile hit a hospital in a town near Tel Aviv.
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
How Mossad Plot To Kill Saddam Hussein Ended In 5 Israeli Commandos Dying
New Delhi: The Middle East is once again on edge. What began as a sudden burst of Israeli airstrikes has now erupted into a full-blown military confrontation with Iran. Israel killed several of Iran's top military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran responded with hypersonic missiles and drone swarms, breaching Israeli defences and prompting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to declare, "The battle begins. No mercy for the Zionists." As Israel and the US issue open threats to Iran and its Supreme Leader, another plot, albeit failed, to assassinate former Iraq President Saddam Hussein in the early 1990s comes to mind. It was called Operation Bramble Bush. Israel's Forgotten Plot To Kill Saddam Hussein Following the 1991 Gulf War, Israel viewed Saddam as a dangerous and unpredictable threat. Despite not being a party to the war, Israel suffered multiple Scud missile attacks from Iraq. Intelligence claimed Saddam was developing weapons of mass destruction. Determined to eliminate the threat, Israeli military and intelligence planners designed a mission to assassinate Saddam at a public event. The plan, codenamed Operation Bramble Bush, was to be carried out by Sayeret Matkal, Israel's most elite commando unit. The target was a funeral in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, where he was expected to attend. Disguised as Arabs, Israeli commandos would infiltrate the area and launch shoulder-fired missiles at Saddam's convoy during the ceremony. Mossad provided the intelligence, while the IDF's top brass approved the operation. The Tze'elim Bet Disaster On November 5, 1992, the Sayeret Matkal team assembled in the Negev Desert to carry out a live-fire rehearsal. To simulate the real attack, they used live missiles, under the assumption that safety measures were foolproof. They weren't. During the simulation, one of the operatives mistakenly fired a real missile at his own team, killing five elite soldiers and seriously wounding six others. The mission was immediately called off. The incident was later known as the Tze'elim Bet disaster. An internal probe revealed serious lapses in planning, communication, and risk assessment. Two days later, Operation Bramble Bush was officially scrapped. The deaths of the commandos were kept secret from the public for years, and the operation remained classified. Then And Now Three decades later, Israel finds itself once again targeting the top tier of another country, this time not in Baghdad but in Tehran. In recent days, Israeli forces have executed a wave of high-precision strikes that killed some of Iran's most powerful figures, including IRGC chief General Hossein Salami, aerospace commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and multiple nuclear scientists. The strikes also hit critical nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Arak. Unlike Bramble Bush, this is no covert op. It is a public military campaign. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not ruled out targeting Supreme Leader Khamenei himself. Calling Iran's regime an "existential threat," Netanyahu declared, "Israel's fight is not against the Iranian people. Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you." He added, "This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard... unite around your flag and your historic legacy."
