A woman walks next to a banner with a picture of Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, May 8, 2026. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

i24 News – Israeli security sources have revealed increasing criticism from within Israel’s security establishment regarding the handling of the confrontation with Iran. This comes as the United States still has not given the green light to fully implement the military plan that was prepared in coordination between Israel and the US, which aimed to weaken the Iranian regime and push it towards collapse.

According to sources for the website Maariv, the plan that was prepared in cooperation with the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) included targeting military command centers, vital infrastructure, and the oil, gas, and energy sectors. These actions worked in conjunction with plans to support local opposition forces within Iran, in a move that aimed to bring about a fundamental shift in the balance of power within the country.

Sources claim that Israel and the US worked for years to prepare a local force consisting of opposition Kurdish elements, which was supposed to play a pivotal role in seizing control of Iranian areas and cities amid an escalation of internal protests. However, this plan was ultimately not implemented.

According to the Israeli narrative, political pressure was exerted on the US by several parties, preventing the full implementation of the plan. Sources indicate that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed concerns that supporting Kurdish forces inside Iran would strengthen the influence of Kurdish groups in the region, which Ankara regards as a threat to its national security.

The sources also spoke of growing Gulf concerns that the expansion of military operations against Iran could lead to targeting energy facilities and oil infrastructure in the region, which could directly affect global energy markets and lead to widespread economic disruptions.

These external pressures, plus calls from officials within the US, prompted the White House to reduce the scope of its military operations and to decline approval for the implementation of key phases of the proposed plan.

Israeli security circles claim that this approach has given Tehran the opportunity to maintain the cohesion of its political and security institutions, at a time when reports are increasing about the possibility of reaching a long-term agreement or new understandings between the United States and Iran.

The sources believe that any agreement that includes easing sanctions or releasing frozen Iranian funds will provide Tehran with additional resources to bolster its economic and military capabilities, while supporters of the diplomatic track consider that political understandings remain the best option to avoid a large-scale regional confrontation.