Mossad chief David Barnea on Wednesday pushed back against reports that Israel misled U.S. President Donald Trump into believing the Iranian regime would collapse in the early days of the war, while delivering a warning that the broader conflict with Iran is far from over.

Speaking at a Holocaust Remembrance Day event at Mossad headquarters, Barnea did not directly address the claims in detail, but framed the ongoing confrontation with Iran as part of a larger historical and existential struggle.

“Those who believe the Holocaust belongs to the past are mistaken,” he said. “In today’s reality, calls for annihilation still exist, and hatred continues to threaten the existence of an entire people.”

Barnea said Israel had repeatedly warned the international community about the growing Iranian threat, including its nuclear ambitions and expanding ballistic missile arsenal. “We sounded the alarm time and again,” he said. “In the end, we took our fate into our own hands and went to war out of necessity.”

Referring to the recent conflict—dubbed “Operation Roaring Lion”—Barnea said the IDF, with Mossad support, carried out an unprecedented campaign that dealt a significant blow to Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure.

“We struck those who openly declare their intention to destroy us,” he said, referencing Iranian rhetoric. He also highlighted what he described as “historic cooperation” with the United States, calling it a joint effort in defense of shared values.

Barnea pointed to what he said were major operational achievements over 40 days of intense fighting, including disrupting Iran’s central objective of destroying Israel. He confirmed that Mossad operatives conducted intelligence operations deep inside Tehran, providing precise targeting data to the Israeli Air Force and contributing to strikes on missile systems aimed at Israeli civilians.

Despite those gains, Barnea emphasized that Israel’s objectives have not yet been fully achieved.

“Our mission is not complete,” he said. “We did not expect it to end with the cessation of hostilities. We planned from the outset for this campaign to continue beyond the strikes in Tehran.”

“Our commitment will only be fulfilled when this extremist regime is replaced. A regime that seeks our destruction cannot remain. This is our mission. We will not stand by in the face of another existential threat. Never again.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)