Turkey says it has blocked an alleged Israeli effort to recruit Kurdish fighters for ground operations in Iran, according to a report by the pro-government newspaper Daily Sabah. Turkish sources claimed that about 500 Kurdish fighters had departed from Iraq toward Iran but were stopped after intervention by Ankara.

The report alleged that Israel, working with the United States, aimed to mobilize Kurdish groups in Iraq and Iran as proxy forces following the outbreak of war in late February. Turkey reportedly held high-level talks with leaders in Iraq's Kurdistan region and warned major Kurdish political families against cooperating, while also cautioning the Kurdistan Workers' Party against joining the effort.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the issue with United States President Donald Trump, expressing opposition to the involvement of Kurdish forces and warning of a wider regional conflict. Turkish officials cautioned that such actions could ignite prolonged unrest among regional ethnic groups.

Previous media reports have suggested that the United States and Israel explored support for Iranian Kurdish factions, though no official confirmation has been issued by Israel. Kurdish officials have denied that fighters crossed into Iran, and the alleged plans have not materialized.