From Wrath of God to Rising Lion: Israel’s Covert Wars and the Arc of History

In the murky world of spies and statecraft, Israel has carved out a legacy that feels ripped from a Hollywood script—equal parts precision, grit, and audacity. From snatching a Nazi mastermind off the streets of Buenos Aires to storming a Ugandan airport to free hostages, Israel’s covert operations have shaped history while captivating the imaginations of storytellers and strategists alike. Now, with Operation Rising Lion, Israel has added a bold new chapter to its saga of survival and defiance.

Israel’s playbook thrives on three pillars: psychological edge, intelligence mastery, and unrelenting resolve. Take Operation Wrath of God, launched after the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. Israel didn’t just mourn—it hunted. Mossad agents tracked Black September terrorists across Europe and the Middle East, striking in hotel lobbies, quiet cafes, and dark alleys. It was a message etched in shadow: no one targeting Israel would escape accountability.

This ethos took root earlier, in 1960, when Mossad kidnapped Adolf Eichmann, a key architect of the Holocaust, from Argentina. His trial in Jerusalem wasn’t just justice—it was a declaration that Israel would never forget. Then came Operation Entebbe in 1976, a rescue mission so daring it still feels like fiction. Commandos flew 4,000 kilometers to Uganda, stormed a hijacked airport terminal under cover of night, and brought their people home. It was courage and precision wrapped in moral clarity.

Operation Diamond, though less cinematic, was just as pivotal. By convincing an Iraqi pilot to defect with a Soviet MiG-21, Israel gained a critical edge in aerial warfare during the Cold War’s tense chess game. Each mission, from Eichmann to Entebbe, showed a nation that doesn’t just react—it rewrites the rules.

Then Operation Grim Beeper was a covert Mossad strike that weaponized Hezbollah’s own communication tools. Israeli agents embedded tiny PETN explosive charges into pagers manufactured by Taiwan’s Gold Apollo, which were later acquired and distributed by Hezbollah across Lebanon and Syria. 

On September 17, 2024, the pagers exploded nearly simultaneously as users attempted to access encrypted messages, killing an estimated 42 Hezbollah fighters and injuring thousands—many with life-altering wounds. 

The operation, dubbed “Opening Blow”, delivered both a tactical and psychological shock, crippling Hezbollah’s internal networks and morale. It was followed by similar sabotage involving walkie-talkies and air raids, marking the beginning of a broader Israeli offensive against Hezbollah's infrastructure.

Now, Operation Rising Lion has raised the stakes to dizzying heights. On June 13, 2025, Israel unleashed a meticulously coordinated assault on Iran, blending air strikes, cyber warfare, drones, and special ops. Over 200 fighter jets hit more than 100 targets, levelingIran’s nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Satellite images reveal craters where centrifuge halls once stood. Missile depots, IRGC command centers, and radar systems were also obliterated, hobbling Iran’s ability to hit back.

The heart of the operation was a ruthless decapitation strike. In the predawn hours, Israel eliminated Iran’s top military brass: Major General Hossein Salami, IRGC commander; Major General Mohammad Bagheri, armed forces chief; General Gholam Ali Rashid, a key strategist; and Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of Iran’s missile program. Reports also suggest Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, and several nuclear scientists were taken out in pinpoint strikes. It was a blow that left Iran’s war machine reeling.

Iran’s response was fierce but faltering. Over 100 drones and missiles rained toward Israel, only to be swatted down by Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow-3 defenses. Hezbollah and Syrian proxies struck from Lebanon and Syria, but Israel’s counterattacks flattened their launch sites and IRGC bases. A cyber offensive reportedly crippled Iran’s air defenses, adding to the chaos.

The IDF claims a strategic triumph, estimating Iran’s nuclear program is set back at least five years. Yet the ripples are still spreading. Iran’s leadership is in disarray, with rushed replacements struggling to fill the void. Tehran vows revenge while quietly leaning on Russia and China for support. Gulf states, ever cautious, watch and recalibrate in silence.

Operation Rising Lion fits seamlessly into Israel’s storied tradition. The stakes are higher, the enemies tougher, the fallout more global—but the pattern holds: a threat emerges, Israel draws a line, and acts with breathtaking speed and spectacle. Decades from now, when declassified files surface and filmmakers spin their tales, Rising Lion will stand alongside Entebbe and Wrath of God. It’s not just a military victory—it’s a story of a nation that refuses to bend, rewriting history with every move.

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