1. The incident
On June 13, 2025, as Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites (including the targeted killings of top IRGC commanders such as Maj. Gens. Hossein Salami and Mohammad Bagheri), its intelligence services initiated a covert psychological warfare campaign known as “Operation Rising Lion” en.wikipedia.org+8theguardian.com+8ndtv.com+8.
2. Leaked audio—threats in Persian
Threatening calls—at least 20—were reportedly made by operatives posing as Israeli intelligence, often fluent in Persian, urging senior IRGC generals:
“You have 12 hours to escape with your wife and child … otherwise you’re on our list.”
“We’re closer to you than your own neck vein.” en.wikipedia.org+1nypost.com+1nypost.com+5timesofisrael.com+5ndtv.com+5
The calls demanded the recipients produce public “denunciation” videos of the Iranian regime, delivered via Telegram, or face lethal consequences.
3. Objective vs. outcome
The psychological tactic aimed to fracture Iran’s command structure, forcing mid-to-high-level officers to flee or defect and preventing replacements for assassinated leaders nypost.comndtv.com+1washingtonpost.com+1. Yet no videos surfaced, and no generals defected or fled.
4. Iran’s response—unity over panic
Rather than cracking, the IRGC tightened its grip:
- A fortified chain of command remained intact.
- Morale remained high and solidarity deepened, fueled by nationalistic conviction and mourning the slain leaders—seen as martyrs whose sacrifice further galvanized resolve washingtonpost.com+2washingtonpost.com+2news.com.au+2foxnews.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2thecipherbrief.com+2timesofisrael.com+12theguardian.com+12theguardian.com+12.
5. Strategic failure masquerading as success
By leaking the calls to The Washington Post, Israel appeared to be attempting damage control — projecting dominance where there was none. Analysts argue this move was a tacit admission of the campaign’s failure: covert wins are kept secret, but failed ones are paraded washingtonpost.com.
📌 Why this matters
| Insight | Implication |
|---|---|
| Coercion vs. conviction | The lack of compliance shows values-driven loyalty within the IRGC, rooted in Revolutionary ideals and the sanctity of their martyred leaders. |
| Backfire effect | Israel’s operation not only failed to sow discord—it produced an unintended benefit for Iran, consolidating leadership resolve and public support. |
| Transparency reveals weakness | The quick release of the calls suggests desperation rather than confidence—an attempt at psychological influence that instead exposed failure. |
✅ Confirmed facts:
- Airstrikes on June 13 killed multiple high-ranking IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists thedailybeast.com+2time.com+2theguardian.com+2washingtonpost.com+3theguardian.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3.
- Audio was obtained and published by The Washington Post and corroborated by multiple outlets including Times of Israel and NDTV washingtonpost.com+7washingtonpost.com+7ndtv.com+7.
- No evidence has emerged of any defection, surrender videos, or abandonment of posts by the targeted commanders.
