Tel aviv: The head of Israel's Mossad has acknowledged the death of one of his secret agents who focused on Iran, stating that the operative was killed three years ago.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, David Barnea admitted for the first time that a Mossad agent, identified only as 'M', was killed during an operation against Iran outside of the Israeli-occupied territories. The report emphasizes that the agent's death is being disclosed for the first time, clarifying that it was not due to a heart attack or a car accident, but rather, he was killed.

Barnea noted that the agent, who operated outside of Israel, had a significant impact on the 'Iran war.' During his burial in Ashkelon, it was mentioned that the agent's superior stated: 'He took many secrets with him to the grave. No one knew exactly what he was doing.'

While the Mossad chief did not provide specific details on 'M', such as his identity, the exact time of his death, or the circumstances surrounding the incident, Israeli media speculated following the initial disclosure that the agent was killed in Italy in 2023. At the time, he was allegedly collaborating with Italian intelligence to prevent Tehran from acquiring certain advanced equipment.