He was not a retired intelligence officer, but an active Mossad operative. Shimoni Erez - the real identity of the agent who died in the Lake Maggiore boat accident on May 28, 2023 - was operating under the codename “Agent M” and was engaged in a critical mission aimed at countering Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Confirmation of early suspicions has now come from David Barnea, head of Israel’s intelligence services. On that same day, two Italian intelligence officers from AISE, Claudio Alonzi and Tiziana Barnobi, also lost their lives, both reportedly involved in the same operation. Three years later, more details have emerged about Erez’s role. According to official sources, he played a key part in intelligence activities that later fed into military campaigns, including one known as “Rising Lion.” His work, it is said, was instrumental in preventing Iran from acquiring advanced weaponry. With over 30 years of service in the Mossad, Agent M was a highly experienced figure. He was buried in Ashkelon in 2023, with top intelligence officials in attendance. At the time, Barnea described him as “a refined, kind-hearted man, calm, respectful, and able to connect with anyone with empathy and composure.”