For the sixth consecutive day, the U.S. and Israel have been conducting airstrikes targeting sites in Iran, raising the question of potential ground troop involvement in the conflict. However, Kurdish opposition groups based in northern Iraq have made it clear that they are prepared to act but do not anticipate any direct American military presence on the ground. According to Hana Yazdanpana of the Iran Kurdistan Freedom Party, their forces have been preparing for intervention for decades but have not crossed the border yet, emphasizing the need for international air support before embarking on military action.

The Kurdish groups, operating from Iraq, view the ongoing air campaign as an opportunity to weaken the Iranian regime and are keen to capitalize on it, having diligently prepared for such a chance since the Islamic Republic’s establishment 47 years ago. They firmly assert that no peshmerga, the term for Kurdish fighters meaning “those who face death,” has engaged in combat inside Iran yet, indicating a strategic and cautious approach to their long-anticipated offensive.

The implications of this situation are significant, as it highlights the complex interplay of regional and international relations in the context of Iranian opposition. The presence of Kurdish forces and their potential involvement in Iran could alter the dynamics of the conflict and impact Iran's internal stability, especially if they receive the necessary international support to conduct their operations. This situation underscores the ongoing tensions in the region and the delicate balance of power between different factions.