The fantasy of toppling Middle Eastern regimes is a familiar pattern in Israeli policy – opinion

Recent reports detail an alleged Mossad plan, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to overthrow the Iranian regime using Kurdish forces and installing former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This strategy is criticized as a "fantasy" rather than a viable plan, drawing parallels to Israel's 1982 intervention in Lebanon, which also involved supporting a minority group and faced internal opposition. Historically, Israeli interventions in the Middle East have included rescuing friendly regimes, undermining hostile ones by supporting minorities, neutralizing threats on foreign soil, attempting to overthrow hostile regimes, and installing friendly governments. The article argues that such interventions, including the proposed Iranian operation, often fail and reinforce Israel's image as a regional "bully," with the historical record demonstrating that these efforts "usually fail."