They are preparing for potential self-rule in Kurdish-majority areas (northwest Iran). Some small-scale successes like Kurds freed Kurdish prisoner in Mariwan by Killing prison Guards. US officials are coordinating armed groups as proxies. Netanyahu pushing for Kurdish involvement. It would be easy for US and Israel to give loads of weapons to about 200,000 Kurd fighters in Iraq and 50,000+ Kurd fighters in Iran. They would be boots on the ground with air cover from US drones and planes.

US/Israeli joint strikes have deliberately hit Iranian security forces (IRGC, Basij, police/intelligence offices) in Kurdish regions of western Iran. Weaken regime's ability to crush protests and encourage internal revolt. Some local security presence has been disrupted. Iran arms Hezbollah to attack Israel in a connected by land location. Israel arming Kurds would be militarily the same.

Population Base (Recruitment & Logistics Pool)

Hezbollah (Lebanon) Operates within ~1–2 million Shia communities in southern Lebanon and Beirut suburbs. Not an ethnic "nation" but a political-military movement.

Kurds in Iraq (KRG) is about 5.5–6 million Kurds (majority in the Kurdistan Regional Government).

Kurds in northwest Iran is about 8–10 million (up to 12–15 million total in Iran, concentrated in Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, and Ilam provinces).
→ Kurdish advantage is a vast ethnic population across two countries for potential recruitment and safe havens.

Six provinces with very large or dominant Kurdish populations.

Number of Fighters (2026 Estimates)

Hezbollah has 40,000–50,000 active combatants + 30,000–50,000 reservists. Elite Radwan special forces ~2,500–3,000 (rebuilt after getting killed last 2 years).

Iraqi Kurds (Peshmerga) has 150,000–190,000 total (KRG Minister of Peshmerga Affairs figure). Includes ~150,000 from the two main parties (KDP Unit 80 + PUK Unit 70); unification into a single ministry command ongoing through 2026. Only ~50,000 fully integrated so far.

Northwest Iran Kurds (opposition groups) is about 5,000–8,000 total at most.

PJAK (largest, PKK-affiliated) is about 1,000–3,000 active fighters.

KDPI/PDKI is about ~1,000–2,000 (mostly symbolic, not battle-ready).

PAK, Komala, others are about Hundreds each.
→ New coalition formed February 2026, but no unified army.