Israel Urges U.S. Support for Potential Iranian Uprising, Despite Concerns of Brutal Crackdown

Israeli officials have reportedly urged the United States to publicly encourage Iranians to revolt against their government, even while privately acknowledging that such protests would likely be met with a violent crackdown, according to a State Department cable reported by The Washington Post on Tuesday.

Israeli Assessment: Iranian Government “Not Cracking”

The cable revealed that Israeli officials assess the Iranian government as resilient, stating it is “not cracking” and will “fight to the conclude.” This assessment contrasts with earlier hopes held by U.S. And Israeli officials to “decapitate” the government and trigger its collapse. Despite this pessimistic outlook, Israeli officials are still hoping for a revolt and believe the U.S. Should actively support such an uprising.

Concerns Over Potential Violence

Israeli officials reportedly warned that any renewed protests in Iran, similar to those seen earlier this year, would likely result in a brutal suppression of dissent, stating “the people will get slaughtered.” Around 5,000 people were reportedly killed in the government crackdown on protests as of January, according to UN Special Rapporteur on Iran Mai Sato, though precise figures remain difficult to verify due to reporting biases Council on Foreign Relations.

U.S. And Israeli Bombardments and Calls for Regime Change

The cable surfaced following the joint U.S. And Israeli bombardments of Iran on February 28, 2026. During the initial strikes, both U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued video addresses urging the Iranian people to rise up against their government while simultaneously inflicting destruction. Since then, Iranian health officials have reported over 1,400 deaths and at least 18,500 injuries as a result of the bombardments Council on Foreign Relations.

Criticism of Israeli Strategy

The reported stance of Israeli officials has drawn criticism, with some observers suggesting a disregard for Iranian civilian lives. Trita Pari, executive vice president for the Quincy Institute, stated that Israel’s willingness to potentially use the Iranian people as “cannon fodder” in its conflict with the Islamic Republic should not be surprising, given its historical pursuit of its own interests Council on Foreign Relations.

Iran analyst Narges Bajoli of Johns Hopkins University told The Washington Post that the assessment would likely be viewed as exploiting Iranian lives for political gain.

Recent Developments

On March 6, 2026, the State Department bypassed Congress to approve a sale of bombs to Israel, citing the ongoing war in Iran New York Times. On March 1, 2026, a joint statement was released regarding Iran’s missile and drone attacks in the region U.S. Department of State. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also made remarks to the press on March 2, 2026, regarding Iran’s potential response to attacks U.S. Department of State.