Israeli media have reported that US President Donald Trump abandoned an alleged plan to arm Iranian opposition groups after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan intervened.
The Jerusalem Post, citing Israeli security sources, reported that the proposal involved supplying weapons to Iranian opposition groups and Kurdish forces based in Iraq as part of an effort to increase pressure on the government in Tehran.
According to the newspaper, Israel believed the United States would support the proposal because it would not require American troops to enter Iran.
The report alleged that details of the plan were disclosed to Türkiye by officials within the White House. It claimed that Mr Erdoğan subsequently raised the issue with Mr Trump and persuaded him to cancel the project.
Some Israeli sources accused US Vice-President JD Vance of being responsible for the alleged disclosure. Luke Schroeder, Mr Vance's special assistant and press secretary, was reported to have denied the accusation.
Under the alleged plan, Israel would have established a no-fly zone for Kurdish forces and provided air support if Iranian troops attempted to prevent their advance.
The Jerusalem Post also claimed that Israel planned to transfer weapons seized from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon to Kurdish groups opposed to the Iranian government. It said the publication of the information had been approved by Israel's military censor.
Tamir Hayman, a former head of the Israel Defense Forces' Military Intelligence Directorate, separately discussed alleged efforts to bring about political change in Iran during an interview with the US broadcaster PBS.
Mr Hayman claimed that Israel had considered several covert proposals aimed at weakening or removing the government in Tehran. He said these included mobilising armed groups inside Iran and supporting the possible return to power of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
He also alleged that plans involving Kurdish groups opposed to Tehran were abandoned following Mr Erdoğan's discussions with the US president.
Israeli media later reported that Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency, had previously supplied weapons to Kurdish groups opposed to the Iranian government as part of wider efforts to destabilise Tehran.
