Mossad chief fires senior directors after Iran campaign flop

Earlier this month, Roman Gofman, the newly installed director of Israel's Mossad, terminated the agency's intelligence directorate chief and the head of its Iran division, identified only as “K” and “Y.” While leadership changes after a new director's arrival are not unheard of, publicly announcing such dismissals is rare for the notoriously secretive service. The moves follow a prolonged covert campaign against Iran that sought to weaken the regime, arm Kurdish forces, spark nationwide protests, and threaten the Strait of Hormuz, yet none of these objectives were achieved.

Iranian security structures survived assassinations and airstrikes, Kurdish groups faced relentless attacks, and large-scale demonstrations never materialised despite earlier protests. Israeli media and former Mossad officers criticized Gofman for undermining the agency’s operational capacity and scapegoating subordinates for a strategy that senior officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had championed. Analysts note that the episode underscores the difficulty of toppling Tehran and may prompt Israel to consider further military pressure in the coming months.