Roman Gofman, Israel’s new spymaster, is a Netanyahu aide who believed war with Iran would topple the regime Roman Gofman, the incoming director of Israel’s Mossad spy agency, is a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who previously held the belief that a military conflict with Iran could lead to the regime’s swift collapse. This assessment, which was part of internal Israeli security discussions, has not materialized after over 40 days of sustained fighting. Gofman, currently serving as Netanyahu’s military secretary, reportedly conveyed this view to the prime minister during strategic planning sessions, a stance shared by the agency he is set to lead. However, the outcome of the conflict has not aligned with these expectations, raising questions about the feasibility of such a scenario. Gofman is scheduled to assume the role of Mossad director in June for a five-year term, replacing David Barnea, who had also held the belief that a war with Iran could destabilize the Islamic Republic. Barnea, who led Mossad since 2021, played a pivotal role in the planning of the US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28, which marked the beginning of the conflict. According to Israeli security sources, Barnea advocated for a strategy involving the assassination of Iran’s leadership and a series of intelligence-led operations aimed at mobilizing domestic opposition and triggering widespread unrest. The New York Times reported that Barnea presented this plan to Netanyahu and former US President Donald Trump, arguing that such actions could lead to the collapse of the regime. Despite these efforts, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) adopted a more cautious approach, focusing on weakening the regime rather than seeking regime change.#iran #mossad #benjamin_netanyahu #roman_gofman #david_barnea
