A report from the Saudi al-Arabiya news outlet claims that Israeli special forces, including Mossad operatives, were active on the ground in Iran overnight.
Sayeret Matkal, or the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, is Israel’s premier special operations unit under the IDF Directorate of Military Intelligence.
Established in 1957, it specializes in deep-reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, hostage rescue, and counter-terrorism behind enemy lines. It is regarded as the Israeli equivalent to the British SAS or US Delta Force, focusing on highly classified, strategic operations.
The report does not provide any details about the purported operation.
Earlier on Tuesday, the IDF reported that an Israeli Air Force aircraft struck and thwarted a cell of operatives from the Iranian terrorist regime’s air defense array as they attempted to operate systems against the IDF.
“The Israeli Air Force continues to strike Iranian ballistic missile launchers and fire array sites that target Israeli Air Force aircraft,” the IDF stressed. “The IDF will not allow the Iranian terrorist regime to target Israeli Air Force aircraft and will continue to strike against attempts to arm missile launchers.”
Following the incident, the Israeli Air Force is continuing to strike live fire array sites, missile launchers, and ballistic missiles.
The report has not been corroborated or expanded upon, and it is consistent with past reports in Arab media outlets about IDF ground activity on Iranian soil. Reuters reported that 13 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members were killed overnight in strikes on Iran.
Al Arabiya also reported that Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC’s naval forces, was killed in a US strike on a vessel where he was present in the Persian Gulf. No corroboration of that report has been received.
Meanwhile, social media reports from inside Iran showed a clear strike on a site near the city of Pardis. Near that location sits an IRGC ballistic missile production and storage facility, which may have been targeted.
The previous day, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and that Iran would set ablaze any vessel attempting to transit it, Iranian media reported. Meanwhile, the naval battle between the United States and Iran has been escalating. US Central Command announced Tuesday evening the destruction of the Iranian naval force in the Gulf of Oman, on the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 vessels in the Gulf of Oman – today they have none. The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades. Those days are over. Freedom of navigation has been at the foundation of American and global economic prosperity for more than 80 years. US forces will continue to defend it,” the CENTCOM statement read.
© 2026, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
