Holly Williams reports from northern Iraq where members of an armed Iranian opposition group say their camp was hit Thursday night by a drone strike that left shrapnel damage across the site. The group, identified as the Khabat Organization of Iranian Kurdistan — which represents Iran’s Kurdish minority — said the drone was launched either by the Iranian regime or by a militia backed by Tehran; journalists at the camp found part of the drone’s wiring among the debris.
The Khabat fighters, one of several Iranian opposition formations exiled in northern Iraq, said they seek an end to Iran’s current leadership. Another Kurdish Iranian group told reporters that the broader conflict involving the United States and Israel could present an opportunity to press offensives against the regime, but they said they had not received direct U.S. assistance. When asked whether the U.S. had promised support for any cross-border action, a leader called the topic too sensitive to discuss.
Analysts and fighters noted the disparity between the lightly armed opposition — chiefly equipped with Kalashnikov-style rifles — and the Iranian regime’s capabilities, including drones and ballistic missiles. The opposition members said their base had been targeted by drones before; despite their determination, they acknowledged the risks of confronting a better-armed state.