In an exclusive interview with L’Express marking the release of his book Fighting for Freedom (Michel Lafon publishing), Yossi Cohen, who led the Mossad from 2016 to 2021, reveals the behind-the-scenes details of one of the most daring operations in Israeli intelligence history. A compelling account filled with political revelations and uncompromising analysis on Iran, Gaza, and Israel’s future.
“The war between Iran and Israel is not over, deal or no deal”
As a new agreement has just been reached between Washington and Tehran, Yossi Cohen makes no secret of his skepticism.
“The Iranian regime will never give up on the atomic bomb, regardless of whatever agreement is signed. It is a matter of culture, doctrine, and national objective,” he insists.
He adds bluntly: “For Israel, Iran will remain the number one enemy.”
A full-scale replica of Tehran built on African soil
The former Mossad director sheds light on the preparations behind the spectacular operation that saw Iranian nuclear archives removed in January 2018. Nearly half a ton of documents and digital data were taken from a highly secured warehouse in the Iranian capital.
“From the moment I took office, I instructed my teams to track down Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the father of Iran’s military nuclear program,” he explains.
But infiltrating such a heavily protected facility required extremely precise preparation.
“We therefore had a replica of the warehouse and its surroundings built in Africa. A kind of mini Tehran, far away from everything.”
Why choose such a location?
“Because Israel is under constant surveillance. We needed a discreet place, even in Africa, away from major cities,” he says.
Yossi Cohen reveals that he personally traveled there several times to oversee the training exercises.
The attention to detail was extraordinary. Agents acquired the same models of Iranian safes — which he describes as “enormous” — and even imported guard dogs identical to those used by the Iranians in order to learn how to neutralize them.
In total, nearly 800 people were involved in this unprecedented operation, including logistics teams, front companies, and intensive training units.
“The originals are still at Mossad headquarters”
Yossi Cohen emphasizes a crucial point: he demanded that the original documents be brought back to Israel, not merely copies.
“That way, neither the Iranians nor the international community could claim that we had fabricated them. I recognize Ali Shamkhani’s handwriting, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh’s handwriting — both of whom have since disappeared — and that of other officials. The originals are still preserved at Mossad headquarters.”
He compares this method to one used by the CIA, which had reportedly reconstructed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s villa to prepare for an intervention.
The archives, presented to members of the P5+1 group and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), helped convince Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the Iranian nuclear agreement (JCPOA).
On October 7: “We failed completely”
The former Mossad chief does not hold back when discussing the October 7, 2023 attack.
“If we do not acknowledge that we failed — and we failed completely — we will never be able to learn the lessons,” he says.
He distinguishes between two lines of defense: intelligence and physical protection of the territory.
“Before October 7, we believed we knew what the enemy was going to do. We were wrong. The door was wide open. The country was not properly secured. This failure is something I cannot accept.”
He calls for a thorough investigation and urges greater humility in official discourse.
“We are a small country surrounded by many enemies. We must show much more humility.”
Human intelligence remains the key to intelligence operations
Yossi Cohen strongly reaffirms the importance of human intelligence (HUMINT) despite the most advanced technologies available.
“Despite the huge amount of electronic interception in Gaza, we had no human source inside Hamas. Just one would have given us the decisive intelligence.”
He also discusses the spectacular operation involving booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies targeting Hezbollah in September 2024.
According to him, the idea of infiltrating enemy supply chains dates back more than two decades.
“The first deliveries of manipulated equipment to Hezbollah began in 2006.”
Gaza: “We never intentionally targeted civilians”
Asked about the conflict in Gaza, Yossi Cohen says the Israeli military has never deliberately targeted civilians, while acknowledging that casualties occurred because “Hamas hides among the population, using homes as shields.”
He firmly rejects accusations of genocide.
“We are not committing genocide. Israel has never committed genocide and never will. We are committed to our values and our morality.”
He adds that while he was in office, he helped facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid from Saudi Arabia and Qatar intended for Gaza’s population.
A call for change and a possible political ambition?
Yossi Cohen does not hide his admiration for Donald Trump, whom he considers “the best” U.S. president for Israeli-American relations, despite the agreement with Iran.
He reveals that he met privately with the White House occupant several times, and that Trump sometimes entrusted him with personal missions.
On the domestic political scene, he is equally direct.
Asked about Benjamin Netanyahu, he states:
“He has been prime minister for eighteen years. That is enough. A change is necessary.”
When questioned about a possible successor, he replies:
“Nothing has been fully decided, but I can support this change.”
At 61 years old, with a significant regional and international network, a widely recognized operational record, and strong criticism of the security establishment, Yossi Cohen appears to be positioning himself as a major figure in Israel’s next political chapter.
With legislative elections scheduled for October 2026, his repeated calls for truth, humility, and renewal sound like the outline of an implicit political platform.
Source: Press
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