Infiltration Crisis: Iran's Struggle with Israeli Espionage

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to flee Lebanon due to Israeli infiltration fears. Nasrallah’s assassination has led to Iranian missile retaliation, investigations into infiltrations, and concerns over Hezbollah’s leadership and capabilities. This has strained trust within Iran and the Axis of Resistance, complicating their operations.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah to flee Lebanon days before his assassination by Israeli forces, fearing Israeli infiltration within senior ranks in Tehran, according to three Iranian sources.

Following the Sept. 17 attack on Hezbollah's communications devices, Khamenei sent an envoy to urge Nasrallah to move to Iran, citing intelligence reports of Israeli operatives within Hezbollah planning to kill him. The envoy, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, also perished in the assault.

In retaliation, Khamenei ordered a missile barrage at Israel. The fallout from Nasrallah's killing and that of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, along with ongoing Israeli attacks, have deepened mistrust within Hezbollah and Iran. It also jeopardizes the Axis of Resistance against Israel, as revealed in conversations with multiple sources.

Meanwhile, Iran executed arrests and investigations into suspected Israeli infiltrators within its ranks. Concerns arose particularly from those frequently traveling abroad. The crackdown extends to individuals connected to the assassinated commanders, further shaking the already strained trust network.

This crisis has devastated Hezbollah's military capacity and leadership, raising fears of further Israeli strikes and broader conflict. Hezbollah's internal purge continues amid a backdrop of broader regional instability, stressing the fragile nature of Iran's alliances.

(With inputs from agencies.)