Biosecurity

Israeli spies source up to 100,000 coronavirus tests in covert mission

Israel’s secretive Mossad intelligence agency launched a covert international operation this week to fly in up to 100,000 coronavirus testing kits, although the effort may have been in vain as critical parts were reportedly missing.

Domestic news outlets, citing government and health officials, reported that the secrecy of the operation was because the kits were acquired from at least two unnamed countries that do not have good diplomatic relations with Israel, meaning the government could not openly buy them.

Israel maintains low-level relations with several states in the Middle East, especially Gulf states, that do not officially recognise it in protest against its treatment of Palestinians. It is also likely that governments and manufacturers would not want to be seen to be sending vital test kits abroad while dealing with a domestic outbreak.