Iranian Kurdish Group Considers Cross-Border Operation Amid Rising Tensions
Potential Cross-Border Action by Kurdish Group
A Kurdish opposition group from Iran, located in northern Iraq, has indicated the possibility of initiating a ground operation into Iran as tensions escalate in the region due to the ongoing conflict involving the US and Israel against Tehran. Babasheikh Hosseini, the secretary-general of the Khabat Organisation of Iranian Kurdistan, shared with a news outlet that while no immediate action is planned, discussions regarding preparations have been ongoing. He stated, "We have been planning for a long time, and now that conditions are more favorable, there is a strong probability of action," from his base in Iraq's Kurdish region. Although a definitive decision has yet to be made, he characterized a ground offensive as "highly likely."
Hosseini also mentioned that the Americans have reached out through various channels, although no direct meetings have occurred yet. His remarks follow statements from Iran's elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which reported conducting strikes against what they termed "separatist groups" in the Kurdish region of Iraq. According to a report from a local news agency, the IRGC targeted three sites associated with these groups on Saturday morning, asserting, "If separatist groups in the region make any move against Iran's territorial integrity, we will crush them."
On the same day, Iraqi officials and leaders from the semi-autonomous Kurdish region emphasized that Iraqi territory should not be utilized for launching attacks on neighboring nations. During a phone conversation, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Nechirvan Barzani agreed that Iraq must not serve as a base for cross-border operations, as stated by the Iraqi prime minister's office. Tehran had previously warned that it would strike "all the facilities" in the Kurdish region if exiled Iranian Kurdish fighters were permitted to enter Iran.
Reports from sources familiar with discussions between Israel and Kurdish factions indicated that Israel has been conducting strikes in western Iran to assist Iranian Kurdish fighters. In a statement to the media, Donald Trump expressed support for the idea of Kurdish forces crossing into Iran, saying, "I think it's wonderful that they want to do that, I'd be all for it."
In the meantime, various security incidents were reported throughout Iraq on Friday. Drones targeted airports and oil facilities, with US-led forces intercepting several drones over the Kurdish regional capital, Erbil. Security sources revealed that a drone also aimed at the Erbil Arjaan by Rotana hotel. Later that day, Baghdad International Airport experienced what a security official described as "a series of attacks" involving drones and missiles. This airport complex houses a military base and a US diplomatic facility, and another security source noted that the drone attack resulted in a fire at the airport. Additionally, in southern Iraq, an oil facility in Basra, which accommodates foreign energy companies, was targeted twice. A security official reported that two drones were shot down over the Burjesia oil complex, while a third successfully struck the site. The US Embassy in Baghdad warned that Iran-aligned armed groups might attempt to target hotels frequented by foreign nationals in the Kurdish region.