Fox News reports that thousands of Iraqi Kurdish rebels have launched a ground assault inside Iran. Kurdish sources have denied the report, saying only several hundred Iranian Kurds have crossed the border back into Iran.
According to Kurdish sources who spoke with Israel Hayom, some Kurdish fighting forces have already crossed into Iran in preparation for an attack. In addition, a tentative agreement is emerging among four Kurdish factions in Iran to form a joint bloc.
According to Kurdish sources, cautious coordination is taking place in border areas between Iraq's Kurdistan region and Iran. The activity does not yet involve large-scale troop movement but rather the movement of commanders and small units, with an emphasis on joint training and the transfer of weapons. In addition, there has been an intensified movement of political and military leadership to the area for coordination.
A separate source said that "this marks the beginning of the on-the-ground preparations for the larger operation expected later. The terrain is now ready for the initial entry of forces that will organize activists in the field ahead of the actual operation. At this stage, the capabilities focus on taking control of mountainous areas with villages and towns, and later also provincial cities. There is contact with all supporting elements in the region."
Five Iranian Kurdish parties recently united under a joint framework called the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan (CPFIK), a move intended to coordinate their political and military activities. The parties operate on both sides of the border and all five maintain armed wings. According to The Atlantic, they have concentrated thousands of fighters in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region. In recent days, the Komala party also joined the coalition as a sixth member, after already receiving weapons and financial assistance separately.
Earlier, Israel Hayom reported that Kurdish sources were preparing for possible military action against the regime in the Islamic Republic of Iran and were interested in receiving Israeli support. Members of the Kurdish minority celebrated the killing of the country's ruler, Ali Khamenei, by Israel. One of the Kurdish militias operating in the mountainous region between Iraq and Iran has already left its bases and moved toward the center of the Kurdish region. The fighters involved had previously been targeted by attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and now believe an opportunity has emerged.
"They are fighting the oppression of the ayatollahs' army, but they cannot do it alone," exiled Kurdish researcher Suzanne Kittaz told Israel Hayom. "I spoke a few days ago with one of the fighters who is still in Erbil, and what he said was: 'We need military assistance from Israel.'"
For the Kurdish minority in Iran, the situation represents a major challenge after years of harsh repression by the Islamist regime. A source in contact with Kurdish groups in the region told Israel Hayom that there is considerable embarrassment and confusion among members of the minority. Some are unsure how to respond to developments. Moreover, the Iranian regime has conducted anti-Israel propaganda for many years, creating divisions regarding attitudes toward the Jewish state. Still, the source described "growing unrest among the Kurds and a glance toward Israel."
