Israel appoints new Mossad chief

OCCUPIED-AL-QUDS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday a new head of the Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, a key post in the Jewish state’s defence from outside threats, especially arch-rival Iran.

Barnea, 56, who served as a combat soldier in the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit, joined Mossad in 1996. He served from 2019 as the deputy head, according to Netanyahu’s office.

In a ceremony marking the new appointment, Netanyahu hinted at steps Israel could take to thwart Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Global powers have been meeting in Vienna since early April in a bid to bring Washington back to the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, which the US left in 2018.

The withdrawal under then president Donald Trump and re-imposition of sanctions led to Iran stepping up its nuclear activities.