A series of unexplained explosions and fires have rattled Iran for more than two weeks, hitting oil refineries, residential towers, a road near a major airport, and even a shoe factory, reports the New York Times. Publicly, Iranian authorities have attributed the incidents to aging infrastructure, gas leaks, or mundane accidents in an apparent effort to calm a population still on edge after the country's recent conflict with Israel and the United States. But privately, several Iranian officials, including a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, say they suspect many of the incidents are deliberate acts of sabotage by Israel, the Times reports. A European official with knowledge of the region voiced similar suspicions, though without providing direct evidence.
The Iranian officials, speaking anonymously, cite Israel's long history of covert operations in Iran, ranging from explosions and assassinations to psychological warfare. Israel has declined comment, but its intelligence agency, the Mossad, has publicly signaled that its operations inside Iran will continue. "We will be there, just as we have been up to now," said Chief David Barnea, per the Jerusalem Post. Iranian officials are reportedly wary of publicly accusing Israel, fearing that doing so might force a military response at a time when Iran's own capabilities have been weakened by recent fighting. But government explanations for the near-daily blasts have failed to convince many Iranians, with some openly questioning whether the war with Israel ever really ended.
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