Israel’s support for terrorist groups claiming to represent Kurdish interests in the Middle East is no secret but recent media reports have pointed out that Tel Aviv wanted to take it a step further. Reports say Israel, with its ally the United States, sought to employ those groups as a proxy force in a ground offensive in Iran where the duo launched strikes in February. Türkiye, however, intervened and prevented the plan.
Amid reports that the U.S. is planning to deploy thousands of soldiers in an impending land operation against Iran, another plan by Israel seeking to recruit Kurds in Iraq and within Iran was exposed. Israel went as far as bombing Iran’s military outposts on the Iranian-Iraqi border to clear the way for the said groups. Eventually, a group of about 500 people left Iraq for Iran, supposedly to join a fight against Iran. Yet, Türkiye, monitoring the situation, stepped in and eventually forced Israel to scrap its plans to employ about 10,000 as a proxy force.
Türkiye held senior-level talks with top officials in Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to prevent arming Kurds for a war against Iran and urged the representatives of the region’s political dynasties, the Barzanis and Talabanis, not “to fall for the trap.” Ankara stressed that Kurds would not be supported in any way if they joined the war against Iran. This staunch stand forced Kurdish groups to stand down.
Separately, Türkiye indirectly warned the PKK, a terrorist group known for exploiting the Kurdish community in Türkiye, not to join Israel. Turkish officials warned that Ankara would take action if this happened, giving the example of Syria. Türkiye deployed troops in Syria during the civil war when the PKK affiliate YPG sought to control Syrian towns near the Turkish border.
The PKK’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, who joined the terror-free Türkiye initiative for disarmament of the PKK, also warned the PKK not to act upon the instructions of Israel and not to join the war against Iran.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan voiced Türkiye’s concerns about the war in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month, highlighting that Ankara did not want to be a part of the conflict. During the same phone call, Erdoğan relayed Türkiye’s stand on the use of Kurdish groups as a proxy force to Trump.
Efkan Ala, deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said last Thursday that the terror-free Türkiye plan may be affected by the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran war. However, he reaffirmed that the process would be completed anyway. He pointed out that the region was embroiled in an unstable situation and that a terror-free Türkiye was important to maintain the country’s unity among such uncertainties. The government views the initiative as a step to strengthen Turkish-Kurdish unity. For decades, the PKK exploited the Kurdish community in the region, under the pretext of fighting for a so-called Kurdistan in the southeastern Türkiye.
The U.S.-Israel-Iran war follows lengthy protests against the Tehran administration. The U.S. and Israel openly endorsed the protests and called for regime change. When this failed, they carried out strikes that slaughtered top figures, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran had already been facing a separatist threat from the PJAK, the PKK's arm in Iran, though its campaign appears to have died down in parallel with the PKK’s dwindling attacks thanks to a comprehensive counterterrorism campaign by Türkiye.
Speaking on Saturday at the International Strategic Communication Summit 2026 (Stratcom Summit '26) held in Istanbul by Türkiye's Directorate of Communications, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) head Ibrahim Kalın warned against “a fireball of strife” unfolding in the region. “The calculated consequences of this war are not confined to eliminating Iran’s nuclear capacity, but they also include steps that may pave the way for a decades-long feud between Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Farsi communities. This is far more dangerous than other consequences. Türkiye, nevertheless, is on alert against this,” he said. Kalın highlighted that Türkiye has never fuelled strife. “We are ready to handle this fireball and cool it off. We will stand against those attempting to spread the strife, with our values, our leadership, our priorities. We are aware who the enemies are and who the friends are,” he said.
