Ground invasion launched against Iran as thousands of US-backed Kurdish fighters storm border
By ROSS IBBETSON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Published: 16:47 EST, 4 March 2026 | Updated: 18:34 EST, 4 March 2026
Thousands of Kurdish fighters have a launched a ground invasion in Iran, according to a US official.
The Kurdish militias, based across the border in Iraq, began the offensive in northwestern Iran on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump on Sunday night spoke with the heads of Kurdish militant groups in Iraq to discuss the situation in Iran.
The CIA was exploring plans to arm the Kurdish forces with the aim of sparking a popular uprising, CNN reported Tuesday.
The Kurdish groups are widely seen as the most well-organized faction of the fragmented Iranian opposition and are believed to have thousands of battle-hardened fighters.
Their entry into the war could pose a significant challenge to the besieged authorities in Tehran and could also risk pulling Iraq further into the conflict.
Asked about Kurdish involvement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters: 'None of our objectives are premised on the support or the arming of any particular force.
'So, what other entities may be doing, we're aware of, but our objectives aren't centered on that.'
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