Zvi Zamir, ex Mossad chief who warned of impending 1973 Mideast war, dies at 98

The former head of the Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, Zvi Zamir, passed away as confirmed by the office of the Israeli prime minister on Tuesday. He was 98. Zamir was best known for his warning ahead of the imminent attack on Israel in 1973, right before the Mideast war. During his tenure as Mossad chief from 1968 to 1974, Israel faced a tumultuous time brimming with various Palestinian strikes on Israel and Jewish interests worldwide. Among these included the tragic 1972 Munich Olympics attack where 11 members of the Israeli group were murdered by Palestinian militants. In response, Israel pursued and successfully targeted members of the Black September militant outfit, the orchestrators of the attack. Although, in a case of misidentification, they also assassinated a Moroccan waiter in Norway. The Israeli government celebrated this quest as largely victorious. The prime minister's office noted that during Zamir's leadership, the Mossad executed many daring counter-terrorism and intelligence actions globally, notably against Black September - the group responsible for the Munich attack. Zamir's most significant legacy, however, remains his warning of the impending 1973 war. Details made public by the Mossad last year showed that Zamir had been alerted by an Egyptian official, Ashraf Marwan, about an imminent attack by Syria and Egypt. Despite the clear warning, his caution was largely dismissed and subsequent events took Israel by surprise. The country sustained severe losses in the war, a fact that troubled Zamir for the remainder of his life and caused nationwide psychological damage. Comparisons are frequently drawn between Israel's current war in Gaza triggered by the surprise Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and the conflict of 1973. The prime minister's office characterized Zamir's period in office as one of extensive action involved in confronting significant challenges, most notably combating Palestinian terrorism globally, and the military threat to Israel culminating with the Yom Kippur War. The cause of death was not disclosed. Born in Poland, Zamir immigrated to Israel as an infant and served in many top roles in the Israeli army, including leading its southern command, before heading the Mossad.