Newly appointed Mossad Director Roman Gofman announced Thursday the appointment of a new deputy director, just days after unexpectedly dismissing the agency’s previous second-in-command.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office on behalf of the Mossad, the official—identified only as “A”—will immediately assume the roles of Deputy Director of the Mossad and Head of the Operations Directorate. The appointment was approved by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The Mossad said the newly appointed deputy has served in a variety of key operational positions within the organization and “brings with him knowledge, experience, and a deep familiarity with the organization.”

The announcement follows Gofman’s surprise decision on Motzoei Shabbos to remove the previous deputy director, also identified only as “A,” ending his 22-year career with the agency.

The move came as a surprise in Israeli security circles. The outgoing deputy was reportedly viewed as being well-regarded by Prime Minister Netanyahu and had previously been considered by former Mossad chief David Barnea as a potential successor should Gofman’s appointment not have been approved.

In announcing the dismissal, Gofman thanked the outgoing official for his decades of service, saying, “The Mossad director wishes to express his deep appreciation to A for 22 years of operational service in the Mossad and for his significant contribution to the security of the State of Israel.”

The identity of both the outgoing and incoming officials remains classified in accordance with longstanding security protocols.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)