Hundreds of Kurdish fighters have begun ground activity inside Iran from areas near the Iraqi border, Israeli and American officials confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday, in a development that could open an additional front against Tehran as regional tensions continue to escalate.
The Kurdish forces operating along the Iran-Iraq border are considered one of the most prominent armed opposition groups confronting the regime in Tehran. The organizations involved are Iranian Kurdish groups that maintain thousands of fighters, most of whom operate from territory in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq along the frontier with Iran.
According to Kurdish sources, these forces have been preparing in recent days to participate in ground operations in western Iran with the aim of pressuring Iranian security forces and dispersing them across multiple arenas.
The strategic concept behind the activity, the sources said, is that fighting along the border areas would force the Iranian regime to divert military and security resources there, potentially easing pressure on protesters and opposition elements in major cities inside Iran.
A senior Kurdish source said on Tuesday evening that in their assessment “there is a major opportunity now,” citing the heavy military pressure currently being placed on Iran and the strikes targeting regime infrastructure.
Iran's intelligence ministry said on Thursday that it targeted posts of "separatist groups" who intended to enter through western borders, adding that they sustained heavy losses.
The Iranian ministry statement, which was carried by state media, said Iranian forces are cooperating with "noble Kurds" to thwart the "Israeli-American" plan to attack Iranian soil.
Additionally, the IRGC claimed to have struck several Kurdish bases in Iraq, N12 reported.
The strikes were carried out via three ballistic missile attacks. There has not yet been confirmation on how many bases were hit or whether they resulted in any casualties.
In recent days, contacts and discussions reportedly took place between the Trump administration and Kurdish figures, including a conversation between President Donald Trump and Kurdish leaders in Iraq, as well as leaders of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups.
The discussions focused on the possibility of operational cooperation. Under such a scenario, Kurdish forces could serve as a ground element that destabilizes the Iranian regime in certain regions.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Kurdish forces expect potential American and Israeli support for such activity.
Such support could take several forms, primarily intelligence sharing, military assistance, and the creation of operational conditions that would enable Kurdish fighters to operate inside Iranian territory.
However, according to the assessments cited by the sources, the Kurdish forces alone do not possess the military capability required to overthrow the Iranian regime.
In addition, divisions exist among the various Kurdish organizations, which differ in ideology and strategic interests.
Any broader operation would also depend on cooperation from the leadership of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, particularly regarding the use of territory and the movement of weapons across the border.
The ground action began as Israel's small cabinet held a security assessment.
White House discussed arming Kurdish militias, denies action was taken
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed reports during a briefing with journalists claiming that the Trump administration was considering arming Kurdish forces in order to spark an uprising inside Iran, stating that the reports were false.
Leavitt confirmed that Trump had held conversations with Kurdish leaders as part of his ongoing discussions with partners and allies in the Middle East, particularly regarding the US military base in northern Iraq.
However, she stressed that any claim suggesting the president had approved a plan to arm Kurdish forces against Iran was incorrect and had “no factual basis,” according to the briefing.
Officials deny claims, say no Kurds crossed border
Aziz Ahmad, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Kurdistan, called the claims "patently false" in a post to X/Twitter later on Wednesday, claiming that not a single Iraqi has crossed the border.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) also denied the reports, stating that they are "aimed at undermining security and stability in Iran," according to a report from Ynet.
The IRGC threatened that "Any attempted infiltration will be met with a harsh response."
According to Iranian news agency Tasnim, an Iranian security source also refuted the claims.
"After the US and Israel failed to achieve their goals on the ground, they are now trying to undermine the spirit of resistance of our people through psychological warfare," he said. "We assure the citizens of Ilam province that security prevails along the border with Iraq that the military and security forces are fully protecting."
An official from the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) also dismissed the reports, said Rudaw.
