US Vice President J. D. Vance rejected a proposal attributed to Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad aimed at toppling the leadership in Iran, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
According to the report, the plan—linked to Mossad chief David Barnea—outlined a multi-stage approach beginning with the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior figures, followed by installing an alternative leadership aligned with Israeli interests.
The newspaper said a subsequent phase envisioned backing Kurdish movements to advance into Iran, alongside expectations of widespread internal protests.
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The report added that Vance, along with senior White House officials, opposed the proposal despite what it described as initial approval by former US President Donald Trump during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago.
Yedioth Ahronoth said it had withheld details of the plan until receiving clearance from Israel’s military censor, which had previously imposed restrictions on publishing information related to it.
The report also traced earlier discussions of targeting Iran’s leadership to the tenure of Meir Dagan during the government of Ehud Olmert, when proposals were reportedly raised to replace the country’s leadership from within the existing system.
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