Mossad

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Mossad

Logo Roman Gofman photographed in 2017
Roman Gofman, photographed in 2017; director from 2 June 2026. [1]
Type Foreign intelligence service
Founded 13 December 1949 coordinating directive; reorganised 2 March 1951; operational 1 April 1951. [2]
Founder(s) David Ben-Gurion; first director Reuven Shiloah. [2]
Status Reports to the prime minister. [1]
Headquarters Tel Aviv, according to the historical Federation of American Scientists profile. [3]
Location Israel
Area served Foreign intelligence and overseas operations. [3]
Services Human intelligence; liaison; covert operations. [3]
Key people Roman Gofman — director from 2 June 2026. [1]
Website mossad.gov.il
Remarks Predecessor functions: Foreign Ministry Political Division. [2] Sister services: Shin Bet and Aman. Historical staffing estimates are discussed below.


Mossad (Hebrew for Institute) is an abbreviation for ha-Mossad le-Modiin ule-Tafkidim Meyuhadim (Institute for Intelligence and Special Tasks), an Israeli intelligence agency focused on foreign intelligence.[4] In English, Mossad officers are known to use the term ISIS (Israel Secret Intelligence Service).[5]

History

Marc E. Vargo dates Mossad’s establishment to 13 December 1949.[6] The agency’s origins span several organisational stages rather than one interchangeable foundation date. David Ben-Gurion directed the creation of a coordinating institute on 13 December 1949, with Reuven Shiloah reporting to him but initially administered through the Foreign Ministry. Ian Black and Benny Morris distinguish this directive from the formal establishment of the reorganised service on 2 March 1951 and its commencement of operations on 1 April 1951. Initially called the Institute for Coordination, it assumed functions previously exercised by the Foreign Ministry’s Political Division; the name Institute for Intelligence and Special Duties was adopted in 1963. [2]

The reorganisation was contested inside the intelligence community. Political Division officers, including Asher Ben-Natan, tendered collective resignations on 2 March 1951 in the episode known as the ‘spies’ revolt’. Haim Ya’ari headed the replacement Foreign Intelligence Authority, while Isi Dorot was loaned from the General Security Service as Shiloah’s deputy and Akiva Levinsky became treasurer. [2]

Role and accountability

Mossad’s foreign-intelligence role includes human-source collection, liaison with foreign services and covert operations. The older Federation of American Scientists account also describes counterterrorism and clandestine assistance to Jewish refugees leaving Syria, Iran and Ethiopia. Its account of departments and personnel is historical rather than a verified 2026 organisation chart. [3]

The director reports to the prime minister. At the June 2026 handover, outgoing director David Barnea described Iran as a central strategic priority; reporting also identified hostage negotiations and operations against Iran among the responsibilities associated with his term. Claims about particular covert operations should be distinguished from publicly acknowledged actions. [1]

Structure and Personnel

The departmental accounts and undated or circa-dated appointments below describe the periods covered by their cited sources; they are not presented as a current staff directory.

According to intelligence writers Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Mossad has historically had eight departments: Collection, Operational Planning and Co-ordination, Research, Political Action and Liaison, Training, Finance and Manpower, Technology, and Technical Operations.[7] Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch also state that Mossad has eight departments, but cite some which Melman and Raviv do not list such as psychological warfare.[8]

Directors

Deputy Director

Tzomet - collection department

The collection department has lead responsibility for espionage, with field officers operating under official and non-official cover around the world.[8]

Caesarea or Metsada - operations department

The special operations division is responsible for covert actions such as sabotage, assassinations and paramilitary operations. According to Todd and Bloch it is known as 'Metsada'.[8] According to the New York Times, the Kidon assassination unit is reputed to have been established within it in the 1970s.[29]

Tevel - political action and liaison department

The political action and liaison department is responsible for liaison with friendly foreign intelligence agencies, and back-channel diplomacy with states with which Israel does not have official relations.[8]

Lohama Psichologit - psychological operations department

Responsible for briefing friendly journalists and media spin. Works with Metsada on psyops.[8]

Research department

Responsible for analysis and publications, including reports, open source and daily intelligence summaries.[8]

According to Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch, it has fifteen geographical desks. They include: United States, Canada and Western Europe, Latin America, Former Soviet territories, China, Africa, the Maghreb, Libya, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, and Iran. (Since they name fourteen desks, the missing one may be Egypt; this suggestion is conjectural, not a documented identification of the fifteenth desk). There is also a dedicated section covering weapons of mass destruction.[8]

Technology Department

Responsible for Mossad's own technological base, such as computers.[8]

Operations

Resources and appointment controversy

The Federation of American Scientists gives historical, not contemporary, estimates of 1,500–2,000 personnel in the late 1980s and a later estimate of approximately 1,200. Those figures should not be read as a 2026 headcount or budget. [3]

Roman Gofman’s appointment was challenged in court. Israel Defense reported on 2 June 2026 that the High Court of Justice had rejected the petitions the preceding day. David Barnea had opposed the appointment, but urged cooperation with his successor. Ynet described criticism of appointing an outsider alongside supporters’ argument that Gofman brought military operational experience; these are competing assessments, not findings of misconduct. [1] [39]

Israeli intelligence memorial
The Israeli intelligence memorial; a commemorative site, not identified here as Mossad headquarters.

Contact

External Resources

See also

Shin Bet | LEKEM | Nativ | Misgeret | Aman | Unit 8200

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Dan Arkin, Roman Gofman Assumes Role as Mossad Director, Israel Defense, 2 June 2026, accessed 7 November 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ian Black and Benny Morris, Israel’s Secret Wars: A History of Israel’s Intelligence Services, Grove Weidenfeld, 1991, pp.82–85, accessed 7 November 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Federation of American Scientists, Mossad: The Institute for Intelligence and Special Tasks, Intelligence Resource Program, accessed 7 November 2026.
  4. ↑ Mossad, Federation of American Scientists, accessed 14 May 2009.
  5. ↑ Amir Oren, The cult of ISIS, Haaretz, 27 June 2002.
  6. ↑ Marc E. Vargo, The Mossad: Six Landmark Missions of the Israeli Intelligence Agency, 1960–1990, McFarland, 2015, introduction, p.1; supplied book text consulted 7 November 2026.
  7. ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.135.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Paul Todd and Jonathan Bloch, Global Intelligence: The World's Secret Services Today, Zed Books, 2003, pp.152-153.
  9. ↑ About Us - Directors, Mossad, accessed 14 May 2009.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Yossi Melman, Who is new Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, Haaretz, 29 November 2010.
  11. ↑ Herb Keinon, New Mossad head: Iran remains Israel’s most significant challenge, The Jerusalem Post, 6 January 2016, accessed 7 November 2026.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Yonah Jeremy Bob, Barnea takes over Mossad; Cohen: Mossad struck deep into Iran’s heart, The Jerusalem Post, 1 June 2021, accessed 7 November 2026.
  13. ↑ Yonah Jeremy Bob, Reshaping the Mossad: Inside Roman Gofman’s world of spies, Iran, and high-stakes strategy, The Jerusalem Post, 11 September 2026, accessed 7 November 2026.
  14. ↑ Izi Dorot, Israel Security Agency, accessed 24 July 2012.
  15. ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.258.
  16. ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.269.
  17. ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.272.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Yossi Melman, Meir Javedanfar, The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran, Basic Books, 2008, p.154.
  19. ↑ Efraim Halevy, Us Middle East Project Inc., accessed 24 July 2012.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Yossi Melman, Returning to the scene of the crime, Haaretz, 25 September 2007.
  21. ↑ Major General (Res.) Amiram Levin, Former Deputy Mossad Chief,, Bloomberg, 11 May 2009.
  22. ↑ Aluf Benn and Yossi Melman, Ilan Mizrahi, former deputy Mossad chief, to head NSC, Haaretz, 7 May 2006.
  23. ↑ Amir Oren, Mossad deputy chief N. quits after spat with boss Dagan, Haaretz, 25 June 2007.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Yossi Melman, Returning the Mossad to its basics, Haaretz, 15 November 2005.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Attila Somfalvi, Tamir Pardo named new Mossad chief, ynetnews.com, 29 November 2010.
  26. ↑ Ronen Bergman, Mossad chief names new deputy, ynetnews.com, 5 June 2011.
  27. ↑ Herb Keinon, PM names deputy Mossad head as new National Security council chief, Jerusalem Post, 21 August 2013.
  28. ↑ Uri Bar-Joseph, The Watchman Fell Asleep: The Surprise Of Yom Kippur And Its Sources, SUNY Press, 2005, p.48.
  29. ↑ Bruce Weber, Michael Harari, Israeli Agent Likened to James Bond, Dies at 87, New York Times, 27 September 2014.
  30. ↑ Israel Line, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 3 March 2005.
  31. ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.253.
  32. ↑ Yossi Melman, Targeted killings - a retro fashion very much in vogue, Haaretz, 24 March 2004.
  33. ↑ Yoav Limor, Yori Yalon, Yael Branovsky and Israel Hayom Staff, Former Mossad official to head efforts against African infiltrators, Israel Hayom, 30 August 2012.
  34. ↑ Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, Every Spy a Prince: The Secret History of Israel's Intelligence Community, Houghton Mifflin, 1991, p.129.
  35. ↑ Amir Oren, We can sell, but you can't, Haaretz, 17 April 2007.
  36. ↑ Yossi Melman, Get ready for some Mossad resignations, Haaretz, 21 April 2011.
  37. ↑ Amir Oren, Insider info on Netanyahu's office shows Israel may be in untrustworthy hands, Haaretz, 4 March 2012.
  38. ↑ Israel Ministry of Defence, IDF and Defense Establishment Archives, The “Unfortunate” or the Lavon affair, Ministry of Defence, accessed 7 November 2026.
  39. ↑ Itamar Eichner, Mossad changes chiefs: Barnea’s legacy and Gofman’s challenges, Ynetnews, undated, accessed 7 November 2026.
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