Thousands of Iranian Kurdish militants are massing in Iraqi Kurdistan, preparing for a major US- and Israeli-backed military incursion into Iran. The operation is set to be led by the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), whose leader Mustafa Hijri spoke by phone with Donald Trump on Monday.

As "Hvylya" reports, citing The Atlantic, the plan involves at least six Kurdish political parties, all of which maintain military wings. Five of them recently formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan. The sixth - the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan - joined the coalition today and had already received arms and financial support separately.

The PDKI, the oldest Kurdish party in Iran and a consultative member of the Socialist International, is spearheading the effort. According to multiple sources familiar with the plans, Washington and Jerusalem have allocated significant funds for arms and logistical support to the Kurdish groups. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment, and the Israel Defense Forces said they had "no comment on this matter."

A Kurdish Iranian analyst who was about to leave for Iraq to embed with the forces confirmed that the militants taking part are Iranian citizens, mostly Kurds. The possible involvement of other armed groups - including the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) and the Communist Party of Iran - remained unclear at the time of reporting.

Shukriya Bradost, a Kurdish Iranian security analyst based in Washington, said the Kurdish parties had long awaited such a moment. "Kurdish parties want to protect the interests of their people," Bradost said. "They have sought to do so peacefully but, when they get no results, they try other means."

Bradost also claimed that the Kurdish parties "saw their future in a democratic Iran, not separation from Iran." Most parties in the coalition advocate federalism rather than independence. The Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) is the sole exception, openly seeking an independent Republic of Kurdistan - but it has agreed to commit to the coalition's non-separatist program.

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