New Delhi– Following the release of Hindenburg Research’s explosive report on Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly directed Mossad to intervene and shield Adani from what was perceived as a global campaign to undermine him. According to a media report, Netanyahu’s concern stemmed from the timing of the controversy, which erupted just days before Adani Ports was set to finalize a $1.2 billion deal to acquire a major stake in Israel’s Haifa Port—a transaction viewed as strategically vital for both India and Israel.
Netanyahu, who was personally involved in the Haifa Port negotiations, reportedly held a private meeting with Adani to discuss the potential fallout from the Hindenburg report. Sources claim Netanyahu expressed grave concerns that the report might derail the Haifa deal and disrupt broader economic and diplomatic ties between the two nations.
In response, Mossad launched a covert operation internally referred to as Operation Zeppelin. Two of Mossad’s elite divisions—Tzomet, specializing in human intelligence, and Keshet, focused on cyber operations—were reportedly tasked with uncovering the networks behind what was believed to be a coordinated smear campaign against Adani. The operation spanned multiple continents, including North America, Europe, and Australia, targeting Hindenburg founder Nathan Anderson and other alleged actors involved in the effort.
Mossad’s investigation reportedly pointed to a web of activist lawyers, journalists, hedge funds, and political figures, some allegedly connected to the Biden administration, U.S. intelligence agencies, and billionaire financier George Soros.
One of the more explosive revelations was that Mossad allegedly targeted senior Indian opposition figures, including Sam Pitroda, chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress and a close aide to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. According to the report, Mossad hacked into Pitroda’s personal servers at his residence in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, seeking evidence of coordination between Indian opposition leaders and Hindenburg operatives. The breach reportedly uncovered encrypted chatrooms and backchannel communications suggesting collaboration between these groups.
Mossad reportedly referred to Rahul Gandhi as a “bitter dynast” and monitored his movements, including a May 2023 meeting in Palo Alto, California, allegedly with individuals linked to Hindenburg Research.
By early 2024, Mossad is said to have compiled a comprehensive 353-page report, dubbed the Zeppelin dossier, which detailed connections between various entities including USAID, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), and elements of Western media, portraying them as key players in a campaign to tarnish Adani’s global image and strain India-Israel relations. While portions of the dossier were reportedly shared with major international media outlets, most declined to publish the findings, with only French outlet Mediapart releasing parts of the dossier.
The controversy intensified later in 2024 when the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) initiated legal action against Adani-linked entities. However, these cases eventually collapsed under scrutiny, resulting in the resignation of Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Around the same time, Adani’s legal team, led by global law firm Quinn Emanuel, issued a formal legal notice to Hindenburg Research, warning of further action.
In a dramatic development, Nathan Anderson reportedly agreed to dissolve Hindenburg Research in January 2025 in exchange for legal immunity. However, following Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency on January 20, 2025, sources claim that Anderson’s immunity was revoked.
Throughout this period, Mossad reportedly continued surveillance of key Indian opposition figures, including Rahul Gandhi and Sam Pitroda, viewing the attack on Adani as part of a broader geopolitical maneuver aimed at destabilizing the India-Israel strategic partnership.
The operation, according to the report, reinforced Israel’s belief that protecting Adani was critical to safeguarding the economic and diplomatic relationship between the two nations. (Source: IANS)
