Mossad’s Most Humiliating Spy Failure
Unpacked
In 1954, a covert operation in Egypt orchestrated by Mossad went disastrously wrong when a failed bombing in Alexandria exposed the operation prematurely. Known as the Lavon Affair, the mission involved planting bombs in Egyptian cinemas and other public places, intending to destabilize the Egyptian government and undermine its relations with the West. However, the plan backfired dramatically when operatives were caught red-handed, leading to arrests and a scandal that had severe political ramifications for Israel. This incident became one of Mossad's most infamous failures and had a lasting impact on Israeli-Egyptian relations.