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Did Israel Kidnap an Iranian General from Syria for a Missing Israeli Pilot?

An Iranian general was kidnapped by Tel Avivi to be exchanged for information about the whereabouts of a missing Israeli pilot, according to Rai al-Yom.
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Did Israel Kidnap an Iranian General from Syria for a Missing Israeli Pilot?

“Last month, Mossad agents initiated a process aimed at finding new information about the fate and whereabouts of Ron Arad, who parachuted into Lebanon in the 1980s. It was a complex and wide-ranging process — that’s all right now,” said Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, at the opening of the Knesset’s winter session.

Bennett only made this brief and vague statement. But, according to special information for Rai al-Youm, Bennett was referring to an operation carried out by Mossad inside Syrian territory, during which an Israeli unit kidnapped an Iranian general. The unit transferred the Iranian general to an unspecified African country, where they released him. It is likely that the Iranians traced the operation after it happened and discovered how it was orchestrated. Bennett was probably referring to this operation specifically, given that the kidnapping is linked to Mossad’s efforts to ascertain the fate of the prisoner Israeli pilot, Ron Arad.

The Israelis have indicated that there is a security operation in Cyprus against Israelis behind Iran. These Israeli figures may be directly linked to Mossad’s operation.

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On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office said that the attack in Cyprus was not only aimed at Israeli businessman Teddy Sagi, but originated in Iran. “Contrary to some of the reports issued last night about the incident in Cyprus, we would like to make it clear on behalf of the security forces that this is a planned operation by Iran against Israeli businessmen living in Cyprus,” Bennett’s office said in a statement, according to Walla.

On Monday, it was revealed that an attempt on the life of a senior Israeli businessman had been foiled on the island of Cyprus. An Azerbaijani with a Russian passport had been arrested, carrying a silencer pistol, and had confessed to plotting the assassination. Israeli sources claimed that Iran was behind the assassination plot.

Ron Arad is an Israeli pilot whose plane crashed on October 16, 1986, when Israel carried out raids on areas of southern Lebanon. Arad was captured by the Amal Movement at the time and his fate remains unknown.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

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