Trump Vetoed Kurdish Operation Against Iran, Israeli Reports Say

JERUSALEM — U.S. President Donald Trump vetoed a planned large-scale Kurdish ground operation against Iran, according to unnamed senior Mossad and Israeli military officials cited by the Jerusalem Post. The officials said the idea for using Iraqi and Iranian Kurds to launch a ground operation aimed at regime change in Iran largely originated from the United States. Israel indicated it was prepared to provide continuous air support to the Kurds, not merely a no-fly zone, the report said. Kurdish fighters received weapons from the United States and Mossad as well as training from Israeli personnel, putting them in a state of full operational readiness, the officials told the newspaper. Israeli sources said disagreement existed within the administration over whether Trump issued the veto following advice from senior officials or following a request from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. One of Trump's national security advisors categorically denied the allegations, the report said.