Allied Intelligence — 2026-06-29

Trump Vetoed Mossad Plan to Support Kurdish Forces Against Iran as CIA Director Ratcliffe Opposed Intervention

BLUFTrump's personal veto, compounded by the March operational compromise and converging Turkish and Gulf opposition, makes US authorization for Kurdish military action against Iran unlikely through year-end 2026.

Jerusalem Post sources confirmed Trump personally vetoed the Mossad's plan to arm and mobilize Kurdish forces from Iraqi Kurdistan against Iran under US-Israeli air cover, even as he publicly criticized Kurds for failing to act 1. The Times of Israel reported the plan collapsed after a March 4 Fox News leak allowed Iran to reinforce its northwest, while Turkish President Erdogan lobbied Trump against the operation and Gulf states warned of regional destabilization 2. CIA Director Ratcliffe has been widely reported as opposing the intervention, though Jerusalem Post sources said he never conveyed that position to Israelis, and the CIA separately provided weapons to Kurdish groups 3. Israeli Defense Minister Katz publicly questioned the plan's viability on June 29, contrasting with Mossad officials who maintain it could have succeeded had Trump not vetoed it 3.

Analysis
Kurdish ground operations against Iran are unlikely to receive US authorization by year-end 2026. Trump's public attribution of failure to Kurdish inaction while holding the veto signals a political investment in closing this episode rather than reopening it. Analytic confidence is moderate: the decision trail is well-attested across independent Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel reporting, but White House deliberations on future Kurdish engagement remain beyond open-source visibility. IDF Military Intelligence reportedly assessed viability as minimal before the veto, leaving open that Trump acted on independent US military judgment rather than Erdogan's lobbying. Without authorization, Israeli planning is constrained to air operations alone, removing Ankara's forcing function against Kurdish expansion.

3 sources

Sources confirm Donald Trump vetoed Kurdish aid plan despite public criticism - The Jerusalem Post
US-Israeli plan for Kurdish invasion of Iran reportedly collapsed amid leaks, distrust - The Times of Israel
Israel Katz casts doubt on Mossad plan to topple Iran regime with Kurdish forces - Jerusalem Post