A previously undisclosed plan to support a Kurdish-led ground incursion into Iran — backed by U.S. and Israeli airpower — was abandoned after media leaks, regional opposition, and internal doubts undermined its viability, according to a detailed report by Channel 12.

The report sheds new light on what it describes as a long-developed strategy, allegedly spearheaded by Israel’s Mossad, to destabilize the Iranian regime by opening a northern front through Kurdish forces.

Tens of thousands of Kurdish fighters were expected to cross from Iraq into northwestern Iran in the early days of the current conflict, operating under U.S. and Israeli air cover. The fighters would then link up with Kurdish groups inside Iran, stretch Iranian security forces, and potentially trigger broader anti-regime unrest.

Raz Zimmt, director of the Iran and the Shiite Axis program at the Institute for National Security Studies, said the plan was designed to ignite a cascading uprising.

The goal, he explained, was to “start a domino effect — first the Kurds and then other sectors.”

The broader strategy combined sustained joint airstrikes with a ground incursion to “break the fear barrier” among Iran’s opposition, following weeks of deadly internal crackdowns.

The operation was reportedly scheduled to launch on at least two occasions. The first attempt was called off after U.S. media reports prematurely disclosed details of the plan. On March 4, Fox News reported that an offensive had already begun, prompting questions to White House officials.

That exposure, analysts say, alerted Tehran to the possibility of a coordinated incursion. Iranian authorities subsequently reinforced the region militarily and engaged diplomatically with Iraq to block cross-border movement.

A second window for the invasion was later considered but ultimately scrapped. The plan is now described as “off the agenda.”

Despite being presented as a “hermetic” strategy in some Israeli and U.S. discussions, intelligence assessments reportedly acknowledged only a slim chance of success.

The plan was discussed at high levels, including presentations by Mossad chief David Barnea to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and consultations in Washington. The concept helped persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to proceed with joint strikes on Iran beginning February 28, according to widely cited reports.

However, significant geopolitical resistance emerged. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — a longstanding opponent of Kurdish militancy — reportedly pressured Washington to abandon the plan. Several Gulf states also expressed concern that a collapse of Iran could fracture the country and destabilize the broader region.

Even among Kurdish factions, enthusiasm was tempered by deep skepticism. Fighters reportedly feared being left exposed if U.S. and Israeli support waned mid-conflict.

A Kurdish source cited in the report warned that without sustained backing, the regime could quickly recover and retaliate with overwhelming force.

Lingering distrust of Washington also played a role, rooted in Kurdish perceptions that the U.S. had previously abandoned allied Kurdish forces following joint operations against ISIS, particularly in Syria.

The collapse of the plan has reportedly strained coordination between Washington and Jerusalem. Netanyahu is said to be “disappointed” by the failure of what he had embraced as a potentially decisive strategy, while Trump has since shifted course.

According to the report, the issue was a focal point of a tense recent call between U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Netanyahu, underscoring growing friction over the direction of the conflict.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)