Staging Area

Call me suspicious, but is Israel's endorsement of Kurdish independence given in order to get Kurdistan on Iran's border as a staging area to attack Iran's nuclear facilities?

Recon drones based from there before the strike would be useful.

Aerial refueling problems would be much easier to solve if Israeli planes could land in Kurdistan on the way back from strikes to refuel.

Search and rescue assets in this region could help retrieve downed pilots.

Israel might even be able to stage a second-strike package into Kurdistan while the initial attack commences, after the need for surprise is gone, and after they assess the damage done in the first wave of strikes.

That would lessen the pressure on Azerbaijan to carry the whole burden.

And every little bit of innovation helps Israel create the capability to strike Iran's nuclear facilities and achieve surprise.