The Mossad, officially the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (HaMossad LeModi'in U'LeTafkidim Meyuchadim), is the national intelligence agency of the State of Israel. It is an institution responsible for foreign intelligence gathering, intelligence analysis, covert operations, and counterterrorism outside Israel's borders. The Mossad was formed on December 13, 1949, as the Central Institute for Coordination at the recommendation of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Its creation was intended to coordinate and improve cooperation between Israel's existing security services, solving the problem of fragmented intelligence efforts in the newly formed state.
The agency's director reports directly and only to the Prime Minister of Israel, not to the Knesset (parliament). Its mechanism involves several divisions, such as Tzomet ('Junction'), the largest division, which staffs case officers called katsas for overseas espionage and running agents. Another key division is Caesarea, which houses the elite Kidon ('Javelin') unit, reportedly responsible for special, covert operations, including assassinations. The Mossad is one of the three main organizations in the Israeli intelligence community, connecting to Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security).
A recent significant change occurred in March 2026, when operational directives were reportedly changed to grant the Mossad and the IDF advance authorization to carry out targeted killings of senior figures in Iran or Hezbollah without prior political approval when time-sensitive intelligence emerges. This marks a shift from past practice where such high-level operations required authorization from the political echelon. The agency's core functions of intelligence collection and covert operations have stayed the same, but its estimated budget and staff have grown, making it one of the world's largest espionage agencies.