I’m an Israeli, Jewish, Democrat, liberal, and Zionist. And yes, I was the head of the Mossad, Israel’s elite spy agency. For decades, I’ve dedicated my life to protecting my country—from my time as national security adviser to leading covert operations worldwide. Threats don’t wait, so we don’t either. We strike first, smart and strong, to keep Israel safe.
In today’s world, wars don’t always end with total wins or losses. But for Israel, every fight must end in victory. That’s the harsh reality of the Middle East, a region full of endless conflicts and few chances for real peace. As Jews, we have no backup plan. Israel is our only home, our safe haven. So when I hear protesters chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” I have to wonder: Where do they think we should go?
Many of these young voices have never even visited Israel. Worse, they often deny the horrors of October 7, 2023—the brutal attacks that killed innocent Israelis. They overlook the countless victims worldwide: kids, women, and men slaughtered by extremists who crush women’s rights, execute people for being gay, hide in hospitals for cover, and use children as shields. These threats aren’t just far away. Antisemitism is exploding everywhere, fueled by fake news and denial. From Nazi symbols on walls to toxic online hate, it’s a global problem hitting Jewish communities in neighborhoods across the US, Europe, and beyond. Ignorance lets it spread, often with unwitting help from those who should know better.
But here’s the good news: Israel won’t back down. We stand tall with democracies like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, united by our love for freedom, dignity, and human rights. No protest slogan or act of violence will shake that.
What these protesters—and even the upcoming United Nations General Assembly—miss is the real enemy. It’s not Israel. It’s the ruthless regimes and their allies, hell-bent on wiping out Jews and dismantling Western values like democracy itself. They threaten everyone who cherishes a free world, including you reading this.
That’s why June 13, 2025, stands out as a game-changer. That day, Israel launched a daring strike on Iran, making the world safer overnight. I’ve been prepping for moments like this since my early days as a Mossad commander. Intelligence work runs in my veins—38 years of it until I retired. We didn’t just spy; we trained local agents to gather info and hit back hard. That approach shone brightest in the June 13 operation and the ones after.
For me, it was personal. Back in 2018, I led a bold Mossad raid that stole Iran’s secret nuclear files. That exposed their lies—claiming their program was peaceful while building atomic bombs in secret. It changed everything, forcing the world to see Tehran’s true face.
President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a smart plan: Gear up for a strike if talks collapsed. We shared pinpoint intel on Iran’s weak spots—nuclear sites, defenses, everything. The operation was massive and tricky, but the US and Israel nailed it. They wrecked most of Iran’s nuclear facilities, from enrichment plants to key labs. Sure, maybe some uranium got hidden, but their ability to make more? Gone. It’ll take Iran years to rebuild.
The hit on their military bosses and nuclear experts was crushing. No active uranium enrichment now, but the real win is deterrence. For years, I pushed US presidents to warn Iran: Cross the nuclear line, and we strike. I spoke to three of them myself. Now, it’s happened. If Tehran pushes again, we’ll do it all over. Every Iranian scientist probably jumps at the sound of a bike outside—they know we’re watching.
Iran’s tyrants thought they were invincible. Israel proved them wrong, backed by America’s full might. I do think we missed a shot at toppling the ayatollahs for real change, but I respect Trump’s push for regional stability.
Through my career, I’ve met world leaders one-on-one—from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin, and heads of state from Europe to Africa, even in places without ties to Israel. Many ops stay secret forever, but some stories are in my new book. At heart, stopping Iran’s nuclear threat? That’s my life’s mission accomplished.
Yossi Cohen’s book “The Sword of Freedom: Israel, Mossad, and the Secret War” hits shelves on September 16.
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