Mossad Planned Iran Regime Change, Trained Kurdish Fighters

The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad developed an ambitious plan to overthrow the Iranian regime, codenamed "Puss in Boots," which involved training thousands of Kurdish fighters in Israel for a potential invasion. The plan, which began forming after the "With All Your Might" operation in June 2025, identified former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a potential leader for Iran post-regime change, referring to him internally as "the friend."

The strategy included a large-scale air force attack in the Kurdish region of Iran to create an entry point for Kurdish forces, with the expectation that this would ignite widespread protests and pressure the regime. Thousands of Kurdish fighters arrived in Israel for operational scenario training, with assurances that they would lose Israeli support if they harmed civilians.

In January 2026, amid large-scale protests in Iran, the possibility of accelerating the operation arose. However, Israel hesitated, believing the forces were not yet ready. During a February meeting at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel's readiness for the operation.

Mossad chief David Barnea estimated the regime change could take a year, while IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir projected up to three years. Trump eventually gave his approval, and Israel initiated the operation. However, just days later, the White House issued a directive to halt the entry of Kurdish forces into Iran, with a senior Israeli official stating, "Three days after the campaign began, we received a 'Don't.'"

Jerusalem attributed this reversal to opposition from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and pressure from U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. Despite efforts by Israeli leadership and Mossad to reverse the decision, they were unsuccessful. A subsequent alternative plan proposed by Barnea was deemed inferior by security officials and also failed to achieve desired outcomes.

Separately, a Mossad influence operation called "Garden Project," launched after October 7 and managed externally by a campaign director, is under internal review due to alleged financial irregularities. Mossad stated the review aims to regulate procedures and found no embezzlement. The campaign director involved in the project resigned around the time of Barnea's departure.