Middle East Crisis Iran War

Sources: CIA Arms Kurds for Operation in Iran

The CIA is working to arm Kurdish militia groups with the aim of fomenting a popular uprising in Iran. This is reported by sources with insight to CNN. According to the sources, the Trump administration has held “active talks” about military support with both Kurdish groups and the opposition movement in Iran.

Kurdish forces have thousands of soldiers along the border between Iraq and Iran. Since the war began, several Kurdish groups have indicated that they may intervene and have urged Iranian soldiers to defect.

One source states that one plan is for the Kurdish forces to strike Iranian security forces to prevent them from intervening against unarmed protesters. They may also try to take territory in northern Iran to create a buffer zone in northern Iran that Israel can benefit from.

At least 80 killed in US submarine attack

A US submarine has sunk an Iranian ship off Sri Lanka, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed at a press conference.

At least 80 people are reported to have been killed in the attack, according to Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister, Reuters reports.

According to AFP, it is the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. A distress signal was sent out in the morning hours, about 40 kilometers off the coast of Sri Lanka, after an explosion. A search operation by Sri Lankan authorities was launched shortly afterwards.

Pete Hegseth: “We’ve only just begun”

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says at a press conference that more attacks on Iran are to be expected.

– We’ve only just begun, he says.

Hegseth also denies reports that the US is running out of ammunition and says that the weapons stockpile is almost endless. The war can therefore last as long as necessary, says Hegseth.

The attacks on Iran have also killed the person who is said to have led a group tasked with assassinating US President Donald Trump.

– Iran tried to assassinate President Trump, but Trump got the last laugh, says Hegseth.

At the same time, he confirms that it was an American submarine that sank the Iranian ship off Sri Lanka.

– They thought they were safe in international waters.