Mossad claim from Israeli press: Thousands of Kurdish militants trained in Israel, operation halted following US warning

Israeli television channel Channel 13 has claimed that the Mossad has trained "thousands of Kurdish militants" in Israel in recent years as part of a comprehensive plan targeting the Iranian regime. The report alleges that the plan, which was reportedly carried out under the codename "Puss in Boots," was halted following a warning from the US.

According to information shared on the channel's main news bulletin, the plan took shape as a high-budget operation managed from outside the agency that grew in the period following October 7. It was stated that the operation was directed by a well-known Mossad agent and that preparations were carried out with the goal of creating political change within Iran.

The report claims that many militants, emphasized as being of "Kurdish origin," were brought to Israel as part of the operation and worked on various operational scenarios. According to Channel 13, the militants were also informed that Israeli support would be cut off if civilians were harmed.

US WARNING HALTED THE PLAN

According to the claim in the Israeli press, at one stage of the plan, opening a line for entry into Iranian territory and a large-scale attack by the Israeli Air Force in a region with a high Kurdish population were also evaluated. The report alleged that former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was discussed in closed-door meetings as a potential future leadership candidate.

Following the start of protests in Iran in January 2026, it was suggested that the operation be moved forward. Channel 13 reported that during a meeting at the White House in February, US President Donald Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the preparation timeline. It was stated that the then-Mossad Chief David Barnea estimated that regime change would take about a year, while Israeli official Zamir estimated it could take up to three years.

According to the report, Israel, which initially received a green light from Washington, halted the operation after a new message arrived from the White House a few days later. It was reported that a high-level Israeli official said, "Three days after the struggle began, we received a message saying 'Don't do it'."

It was alleged that officials in Jerusalem linked this change of decision to the objections of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and pressure from US Vice President J. D. Vance. The report stated that the Mossad later presented an alternative plan, but that this plan did not achieve the expected result.

Channel 13 also wrote that an investigation process was initiated due to the high sums of money reported to have been spent on the operation. In its statement, the Mossad reported that the commission was established to regulate procedures and that no findings of financial embezzlement were encountered.

The report stated that the campaign consultant who managed the project also left their post during the process of David Barnea's retirement and the appointment of Roman Gofman as his successor. There is no independent verification publicly released by official authorities regarding the allegations.