Said Amori, Tarek Chouiref
07 August 2026•Update: 07 August 2026
Mossad chief Roman Gofman fired two senior intelligence officials after a plan to topple Iran's government failed or was never implemented, according to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 on Thursday.
The officials were the head of the intelligence directorate, appointed only months ago, and the chief of the agency's Iran division, the broadcaster said. Neither official was identified.
Channel 12 claimed the plan was developed in coordination with the US and sought to fuel internal moves against the Iranian government, including support for opposition groups, under broad Israeli-US military air cover.
The broadcaster, citing assessments, said the plan either failed or never reached the operational stage.
Security sources told Channel 12 that Gofman's relations with the two officials had been strained from the outset, adding that the dismissals came amid a broader shake-up of Mossad's leadership and priorities, particularly regarding Iran.
The broadcaster also cited international reports as saying the plan included scenarios for replacing Iran's leadership and coordination with US officials on a possible "post-regime" phase.
The effort stalled at an early stage, however, leading to the proposal being shelved and those responsible being held accountable, according to the broadcaster.
There was no immediate official Israeli comment on the reported dismissals.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on March 13 that toppling the Iranian government would be difficult, saying it was "not certain that this will happen."
The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 3,000 people. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes on US bases across the region and targets in Israel, causing casualties on both sides.
On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a framework agreement and launched negotiations toward a final deal before the talks stalled over disagreements on guarantees for security and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tensions flared again last month after the US carried out fresh strikes inside Iran, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks across the region, including in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.
