Part 6/12:
Fuelled by intelligence successes, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike in the 1967 Six-Day War against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The operation resulted in significant territorial gains for Israel, yet it bred a new wave of resentment among Palestinians. The resulting refugee crisis and the rise of militant groups like Fatah, led by Yasser Arafat, presented fresh challenges that Mossad had failed to foresee.
As the PLO's influence grew, Mossad struggled to contain Arafat's radical agenda, with repeated attempts to assassinate him thwarted by his guerrilla tactics and refuge in Arab nations. The PLO escalated its campaign, culminating in shocking attacks like the Munich massacre at the 1972 Olympic Games, which claimed the lives of 11 Israeli athletes.