The Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service, commonly known as Mossad, together with Brazilian security services and international partners, helped avert a planned terrorist attack on Brazilian soil. The operation was coordinated and funded by Hezbollah with directives from Iran, according to statements from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and corroboration from multiple intelligence communities.
Mossad described the collaboration as a joint effort involving Brazilian security services, the Israeli security community, and other international institutions and law enforcement agencies. They asserted that Hezbollah had an extensive network active in several countries, and the planned attacks in Brazil targeted sites connected to Israel and the Jewish community there.
The prime minister’s office expressed gratitude to Brazilian authorities for detaining members of a Hezbollah-led cell that planned attacks against Israeli targets and Jewish communities in Brazil.
The unfolding crisis in the broader region intensified after Hamas militants crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, leading to the seizure of many hostages. In that same period, Hamas launched thousands of rockets into Israeli territory and declared the commencement of operations named Al Aqsa Flood. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel was at war.
In support of Hamas, the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah declared its backing, and clashes spread as rocket fire shifted between Israel and Lebanon. Mid-afternoon on October 19, Israeli authorities reported fire from Lebanese territory toward border areas inside Israel. The Israel Defense Forces noted that anti-tank missiles were launched at Kibbutz Manara, among other targets.
Analysts note that the existence of Hezbollah and its network continues to influence regional security calculations. Some experts cited by Bloomberg indicated that Israel’s Iron Dome system would likely be activated to counter potential regional escalations, should the conflict widen.
Earlier assessments warned that Hezbollah could be drawn more directly into broader hostilities, a scenario described by observers as a potential turning point rather than a marginal development. The situation remained fluid, with rapid developments in both political and military dimensions across the Middle East and in adjacent areas.
Overall, the coordinated international effort to disrupt Hezbollah’s operations in Brazil illustrates how intelligence-sharing and multilateral cooperation can play a crucial role in preventing attacks that cross national borders. This cooperation underscores the seriousness with which security agencies in the region approach threats linked to state-backed extremist networks and the ongoing volatility of the wider conflict around Israel and its neighbors, including Iran and Lebanon.