The Iranian regime has launched a sweeping internal crackdown aimed at rooting out Israeli spies, dissidents and opposition figures, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported Saturday, in light of Mossad’s deep penetration of its ranks that gave Jerusalem extensive intelligence on the nation’s nuclear program and allowed it to eliminate numerous top officials during the 12-day offensive against the Islamic Republic.

The Journal, citing Amnesty International, said more than 1,000 Iranians have been detained over the past two weeks on allegations of aiding Israel.

There are now daily reports in state media of new arrests and weapons seizures, the report said. In the western city of Hamedan — home to an air base heavily damaged in Israel’s opening strike — authorities announced 24 cases against suspected Israeli operatives accused of “sending information, photos, and videos to the enemy.”

The regime’s sweeping response comes amid revelations of a years-long Israeli intelligence-gathering effort that penetrated deep into the heart of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Mohammad Amin-Nejad, Iran’s ambassador to France, acknowledged the extent of the penetration in an interview last week with France 24, saying, “The Israelis organized penetrations, transfers of bombs and explosives, and recruited people from within. It happened right before our eyes. There were vulnerabilities.”

A senior adviser to Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mahdi Mohammadi, acknowledged in a leaked audio recording that Iran had suffered a “massive security and intelligence breach,” according to The New York Times.

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© The Times of Israel