💭❗️ 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇮🇷   A few days after the U.S. and Israel reportedly eliminated Iran’s Supreme Leader, the conflict is entering a new phase. Thousands of Iranian Kurdish fighters are assembling in Iraqi Kurdistan and, according to The Atlantic, are expected to receive U.S. and Israeli support for a major offensive into Iran ➡️  Other groups may join, including the exiled Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and Baluchi militias along Iran’s southeastern border. Five Iranian Kurdish parties recently formed a joint coalition, all with armed wings, and thousands of fighters are reportedly already assembled. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) is expected to lead the operation, and its leader, Mustafa Hijri, reportedly spoke with Trump➡️  The plan could face strong resistance from non-Kurdish Iranians, especially if MEK is involved. Though removed from the U.S. terrorist list in 2012, many Iranians view the group as cult-like. Beyond Kurdish-majority areas, fears are growing that empowering ethnic militias could trigger civil war and fragmentation. Concerns are heightened by the presence of groups like the Baluchi Jaish al-Adl, reportedly linked to al-Qaeda➡️  Kurds, mostly Sunni in a predominantly Shiite country, say they are open to working with most opposition forces — except the Islamic Republic and Reza Pahlavi, whom they see as hostile to Kurdish aspirations. In ethnically mixed western cities, tensions with groups such as Azerbaijani Turks could further raise the risk of interethnic conflict, though some argue shared non-Persian identity could unite them➡️  For years, Iranians feared their struggle against authoritarian rule might descend into chaos. That scenario now seems closer than ever.