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Iran-Israel clash underscores the centrality of intelligence in modern warfare

Published: 16 Jun. 2025, 00:00

This handout photo released by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps official Sepah News Telegram channel on June 13 reportedly shows a building in Tehran hit in an Israeli strike on the Iranian capital early in the morning. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement in the early hours of June 13 that Israel carried out strikes on Iran, and the military operation against the Islamic republic would ″continue for as many days as it takes″. [AFP/YONHAP]

The military clash between Iran and Israel, sparked by Israel’s pre-dawn airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13, has continued to escalate. Until now, the two countries had largely engaged in a “shadow war,” with Iran supporting proxy groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. But Israel’s direct attack has shifted the confrontation into open conflict.

Israel has reportedly expanded its targets to include major Iranian infrastructure such as the South Pars gas field, while Iran has launched ballistic missile strikes on residential areas in Israel. The United States and France have voiced support for Israel, with reports that Washington will reroute 20,000 air-defense weapons originally intended for Ukraine to the Middle East. President Donald Trump warned yesterday that any form of attack from Iran would trigger an unprecedented U.S. military response.

Despite calls for mediation from the international community, continued retaliation on both sides raises the risk of a prolonged conflict. If Iran or its proxies respond by blocking key trade routes, the disruption could trigger a sharp rise in global energy prices, particularly oil and gas. North Korea, observing the vulnerability of Iran’s nuclear sites, may feel emboldened to accelerate its own nuclear program. These developments demand a comprehensive security and economic response from Seoul.

For Korea’s security and intelligence agencies, the current conflict offers urgent lessons. On the first day of Israel’s strike, several top Iranian military figures, including the chief of staff and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were reportedly killed alongside nuclear scientists — some in their own bedrooms. Israel’s ability to carry out precision strikes in Tehran, nearly 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) away, points to the extraordinary capabilities of its intelligence agency, Mossad.

Israeli rescue teams work at the site of a damaged residential area after Iranian ballistic missiles hit Rehovot, central Israel, on June 15. [EPA/YONHAP]

Reports suggest Mossad had been tracking its targets in real time and had hidden drones near strike zones for months in advance. The agency also orchestrated past operations with similar precision: In July of last year, it reportedly planted explosives in a Tehran hotel hosting Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and in September, it simultaneously detonated thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Israel-Iran conflict illustrates that modern warfare is increasingly shaped by intelligence. Precise information and creative strategy function as the two wheels of operational success. Korea, surrounded by major powers and facing ongoing threats from the North, must take this lesson seriously.

Israel, however, also showed its vulnerabilities. Iran’s ballistic missiles partially penetrated Israel’s Iron Dome system, once believed to be impenetrable. This highlights a sobering truth: No security system is infallible. For Korea’s military and intelligence agencies — both facing recent scrutiny for data leaks, discipline issues and accidents — this should serve as a critical wake-up call.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.