Kurds

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Iranian forces have carried out new military operations against Kurdish armed groups in northern Iraq as the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel continues to intensify across the Middle East.

The latest attacks come as Iran also launched another wave of missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and American assets in the region.

Reports indicate that this marks the 19th round of Iranian strikes since the United States and Israel began coordinated military operations against Iran nearly a week ago. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said the conflict has already resulted in more than 1,045 deaths across the country.

Iran’s state media said early Thursday that its military struck what it described as “anti-Iran separatist forces” operating in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq. Authorities did not immediately disclose the precise locations targeted.

Al Jazeera reported that Iran’s intelligence ministry later confirmed the operation. The ministry stated that Iranian forces attacked positions belonging to “separatist groups” that were allegedly preparing to infiltrate the country through its western border.

The ministry also claimed the armed groups suffered significant losses and accused them of working with the United States and Israel to carry out attacks on Iranian territory.

Officials further said Iranian forces were cooperating with what they called “noble Kurds” in the area to counter what they described as an “Israeli-American plan” to destabilise Iran.

Residents in Iraq’s northeastern province of Sulaimaniyah reported several explosions late Wednesday night. The province lies within Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region.

Local media outlets said at least four explosions were heard near the areas of Arabat, Zarkuiz and Surdash. Sources in the region indicated that the strikes appeared to target the headquarters of the Kurdistan Toilers Association, widely known as Komala. The group is an Iranian Kurdish armed organisation based in northern Iraq.

Videos circulating on social media showed large fires and blasts lighting up the night sky.

The escalation followed reports that some Iranian Kurdish armed groups along the Iran-Iraq border recently held consultations with United States officials regarding possible coordinated operations against Iranian security forces.

Reuters reported that the Kurdish coalition had trained fighters for potential cross-border operations designed to weaken Iran’s military capacity. However, Tasnim news agency denied earlier claims that Kurdish fighters had already entered Iran from Iraqi territory.

At the same time, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a new round of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and American military facilities across the region.

Israeli media reported that air defence systems intercepted two drones over the western Galilee region. Saudi Arabia also said its air defence units shot down at least three drones believed to be linked to the Iranian attack campaign.

In Qatar, authorities instructed residents living near the United States Embassy in Doha to evacuate the area amid fears that American diplomatic sites could become targets.

Meanwhile, the United States and Israel continued large-scale bombardments inside Iran. Explosions were reported in Tehran and in several Kurdish cities including Sanandaj, Saqqez and Bukan.