Israel has reportedly expanded its campaign against Iran beyond military strikes, engaging in psychological operations aimed at destabilizing the country’s internal security apparatus. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Israeli intelligence officials have placed threatening phone calls to members of Iran’s domestic security forces, urging them to abandon the ruling system or face consequences. One recorded call allegedly featured an Israeli agent warning a police commander that he was on a blacklist and encouraging him to side with the public in the event of an uprising.

Alongside the phone campaign, Israel has intensified strikes on internal security infrastructure, including command centers, checkpoints, police warehouses and facilities allegedly used by paramilitary forces. Loitering drones have reportedly targeted personnel at roadblocks, while attacks on sports complexes and other civilian buildings used as fallback positions have been among the deadliest. Many of the strikes were said to be guided by tips from Iranian civilians, and security forces have reportedly taken shelter in schools, apartments and temporary encampments to evade attacks.

While these operations have disrupted law enforcement activities and created uncertainty within Iran’s policing system, meaningful large scale unrest has yet to materialize. Experts cited in the report suggested that although the pressure has exposed weaknesses in the system, significantly more sustained action would be required to fundamentally shift the balance of power. There is also speculation that if the ruling authorities withstand the campaign, they could emerge more entrenched and hardline than before.