Mossad dismisses two senior officials after failed Iran plan

Israel's Mossad intelligence agency has dismissed two of its most senior officials following the failure of an ambitious, U.S.-coordinated plan to topple Iran's government, according to reports on August 6 and 7. The move has sparked significant internal criticism and is part of a broader leadership reshuffle under the agency's new director.

The dismissed officials were the head of Mossad's intelligence directorate and the chief of its Iran division. They were reportedly central architects of a multi-faceted strategy developed in coordination with the United States. The plan aimed to exploit ethnic divisions within Iran, particularly by supporting Kurdish separatist groups, and to foment mass anti-government protests. A key military component involved proposed Israeli airstrikes near Iran's border with Iraqi Kurdistan to clear a path for a Kurdish-led armed insurgency.

Reports indicate the plan was endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump. However, it ultimately stalled and was shelved, never advancing to a full operational stage. Sources cited in the reports attribute the failure to U.S. hesitation, Turkish opposition,...