According to a Washington Post report published Saturday, these messages were part of a broader psychological and intelligence campaign aimed at destabilizing the Iranian leadership and deterring potential successors.

The warnings were delivered in highly personal ways—some received phone calls, others found letters slipped under their doors. In some cases, even the officers' wives received calls. An Israeli security official told the newspaper that the message was simple: “We know where they are, and we can reach them.”

These officers are believed to be potential replacements for high-ranking Iranian officials recently assassinated, presumably by Israel. The goal, according to the Israeli source, is to make them think twice before advancing within Iran’s military and security structure.

Despite the psychological pressure, Israeli sources emphasized that the campaign of targeting senior Iranian figures will continue. “Beheading the regime’s leadership is ongoing,” one Israeli official told the Post.

The assassinations were described by the official as part of the first phase of “Operation Like a Lion”—a covert Israeli campaign targeting Iran’s military infrastructure and command structure. 

A senior Israeli source said Mossad worked “shoulder to shoulder for years” with the IDF to collect detailed intelligence on key figures in the Iranian leadership. This includes not only their identities and roles, but also precise data about their homes, travel patterns, and even the location of underground bunkers used for protection.

One of the most notable elements of the operation was Mossad’s advance setup of a base for explosive drones deep inside Iran. This base, established well before the recent wave of attacks, was activated during the operation. According to Israeli intelligence sources, these drones were launched at the exact moment of the broader strike and targeted surface-to-surface missile sites at the Esfajabad military base near Tehran.

The combination of targeted killings, advanced drone technology, and direct psychological messaging underscores a highly coordinated and deeply embedded Israeli campaign inside Iran. It also signals that Israel is not only focused on thwarting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but also on shaking the confidence of the regime's inner circle and creating a sense of vulnerability among those who may be next in line.

This shift toward direct communication with regime operatives and their families marks a significant escalation in Israel’s strategy against Iran—blending psychological warfare, human intelligence, and surgical military strikes to send a clear message: nowhere is safe.