Mossad agent ‘Mem,’ who died in 2023, contributed to Iran war success, spy chief reveals |
A Mossad agent who died in an apparent boat accident in Italy in May 2023 led operations that contributed to Israel’s recent successes against Iran, spy chief David Barnea said Tuesday.
The agent, identifiable only by the first Hebrew letter of his name, “Mem,” was among four people who drowned when a boat capsized in Italy’s Lake Maggiore.
At the time, he was named by Italian media as 50-year-old Erez Shimoni, which is believed to be an alias. His real identity was not officially publicized, but is publicly available on official Israeli memorial sites.
“On this day,” Barnea said during a Memorial Day ceremony at Mossad headquarters, “I think about the fallen Mossad members and their choice to contribute over the years to Israel’s security.”
“During Operation Roaring Lion, my thoughts and heart were filled with pride in the person and work of ‘Mem,’ who fell outside of Israel while fulfilling his duties,” he said, referring to the recent war with Iran.
“The operation led by ‘Mem’ combined creativity, cunning, and advanced technology and significantly influenced the success of the campaign against Iran,” Barnea said.
Italian media........