“The Man Behind Israel's Secret War”

David "Dadi" Barnea currently serves as Global President and Chairman of Ondas Defense, the defense division of Nasdaq-listed U.S. technology company Ondas Inc., which has emerged as a significant player in the defense-tech sector. He took on the role after completing five years as director of the Mossad in June 2026, capping three decades of service in Israel's intelligence agency.

Barnea was selected for his leadership of the Mossad during one of the most consequential and complex periods in Israel's history. After taking office, he drove a transformation that expanded the agency's operations deep inside hostile territory while strengthening its cyber, technological and influence capabilities.

Iran was at the center of that strategy. Under Barnea, the Mossad built an intelligence and operational infrastructure that enabled unprecedented penetration inside Iran and a new level of cooperation with the IDF during Operations Rising Lion and Lion's Roar.

According to an investigation by The New York Times, Barnea secretly met former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Budapest in 2024 as part of an effort to recruit him and explore his potential role as a future leader of Iran after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Against Hezbollah, Barnea oversaw the pager operation, one of the most audacious and sophisticated operations attributed to the Mossad. Thousands of communications devices used by Hezbollah operatives exploded almost simultaneously across Lebanon, disrupting the organization's command structure and sending shockwaves through its ranks. The operation earned the Mossad the 2024 Israel Defense Prize.

Days later, the Mossad played a central intelligence role in the operation that killed Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, work that earned the agency another Israel Defense Prize in 2025.

At the same time, the Mossad under Barnea disrupted dozens of terrorist plots and networks linked to Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas targeting Israelis and Jewish communities around the world.

Following October 7, Barnea became one of Israel's leading hostage negotiators, playing a central role in agreements that brought women, children and female soldiers home from Hamas captivity.

During his tenure, the Mossad also recovered the remains of IDF soldier Zvi Feldman, returning him to Israel 43 years after the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, and brought to Israel Syria's official archive on legendary Israeli spy Eli Cohen.

The transformation Barnea helped build strengthened the Mossad's position as one of the world's most formidable intelligence services, combining deep intelligence penetration, advanced technology and extraordinary operational reach.

That is why David Barnea is No. 12 on The 36.