[Today's Prayer] The 'Kurdish Variable' splits the front into three... Turkey and Iraq's involvement becomes inevitable

As the military conflict between the U.S./Israel and Iran enters its first week, the front lines are showing signs of spreading throughout the Middle East. This is because the U.S., seeking to avoid the burden of deploying ground troops, is encouraging the participation of the Kurdish people, which is becoming a spark for an expanded war. While Israel has also deployed ground forces and expanded its offensive to near the Lebanese capital of Beirut, concerns are growing that if the Kurds join the fight in earnest, neighboring Iraq and Turkey could also be swept into the conflict.

On the 5th (local time), according to the New York Times (NYT) and others, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it sank more than 30 Iranian vessels, including a large drone carrier comparable in scale to World War II-era aircraft carriers. It also explained that Iran's ballistic missile attacks have decreased by about 90% and drone attacks by 83% compared to the first day of the war. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, stated, "As the operation shifts to the next phase, we will systematically neutralize Iran's future missile production capabilities."

Iran also launched a counterattack. On this day, Iran carried out its 20th simultaneous attack targeting Israel and U.S. military facilities in the Gulf region. In Israel's largest city, Tel Aviv, missile sirens wailed and evacuation orders were issued again. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has been hit by nearly 1,000 drone and missile attacks from Iran, is considering freezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets.

The Kurds, acting as U.S. mercenaries, are effectively in a state of participation, with signs detected of them purchasing combat vehicles. In an interview with Reuters on this day, U.S. President Donald Trump said regarding the possibility of a Kurdish attack on Iran, "If they want to do that, I think it's a wonderful thing," and added, "I'm all for it." Analysis suggests this is a strategy to use the Kurds as 'proxy boots on the ground' to destabilize the regime from within Iran while minimizing the political burden of deploying U.S. ground forces.

The Kurdish people, estimated to number about 40 million, are a transnational ethnic group dispersed across countries such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. They have long demanded the establishment of an independent state or the expansion of autonomy, and in some regions, they have continued their struggle by forming armed organizations.

Iran may face a situation where Kurdish groups and internal insurgent forces join together, and its military strength could be dispersed to block them. The British daily The Guardian, citing expert analysis, diagnosed that supporting Iran's ethnic minorities (the Kurds) is like "poking a hornet's nest."

Turkey, which once promised Kurdish independence through the Treaty of Sèvres during World War I but later scrapped it, is the most tense. About 15 million Kurds live in Turkey, accounting for approximately 20% of the total population. In particular, the southeastern region where Kurds are concentrated is considered a geopolitical stronghold as it borders Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Al Jazeera reported, "The attempt to push the Kurds into war is an extremely unstable strategy," and "There is a possibility that Turkey will cooperate with Iran to suppress a Kurdish rebellion if one occurs."

Iraq is also closely monitoring the situation. Iran defined Kurdish bases within Iraq as Israeli strategic centers and carried out drone attacks. Contrary to the Iraqi government's intentions, its territory is appearing to expand into a battlefield. The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated yesterday, "We will not allow our territory to be used as a starting point for any hostile actions targeting neighboring countries."

(Omitted)

Source: Nate News

"For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:35-36)

As the Iranian war spreads throughout the Middle East, we hear news that while the U.S. encourages Kurdish participation instead of deploying ground troops, neighboring Iraq and Turkey may be swept into the conflict.

The Kurds, the world's largest minority group, live dispersed in Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria, having conducted guerrilla warfare for independence and lived as mercenaries, yet often being used by great powers. May the Lord have mercy on the Kurdish people who are participating in this U.S. proxy war.

Furthermore, as Turkey, which has long been on edge to prevent Kurdish independence, may potentially cooperate with Iran, and as Iran strikes Kurdish bases in Iraq, causing Iraqi territory to expand into a battlefield, may the peace of Jesus Christ descend upon the unpredictable Middle East.

May the Lord protect the souls who plunge into war for their nation or for national interests, and may the global church be awake and prepared as all things head toward the end times.

Please care for the bereaved families who have lost loved ones to war, and through the further testimony of the Gospel, may the souls of the world who looked toward earthly things gain the grace of obtaining the Kingdom of God.

Thus, may the global church be always praying and awake to stand before the Lord on the day He returns!