Iran LIVE: Rebels launch ground offensive in Iran after US 'hatches plan for covert uprising'

Thousands of Iraqi Kurdish rebels have launched a ground offensive in Iran, several US officials have claimed.

Fighters are said to have began taking positions within Iranian territory, according to Israeli network I24, who state they have moved in near the southern mountains in western Iran.

There had been reports that the CIA had been locked in negotiations with rebels to mount an offensive while the US and Israel continue with their aerial bombardment of Iran.

However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied Donald Trump had agreed to arm Kurdish forces.

“I can comment on the fact that the President has held many calls with partners, allies and leaders in the region, in the Middle East,” Ms Leavitt said.

Ms Leavitt did confirm, though, that the US President had held discussions with Kurdish leaders ahead of tonight's onslaught.

She added: “He did speak to Kurdish leaders with respect to our base that we have in northern Iraq.

"But as for any report suggesting that the president has agreed to any such plan is completely false and should not be written.”

However, Fox News was told that rebels had entered Iran after CNN reported the CIA was "advancing a covert plan to arm Iranian Kurdish forces".

It comes as Hezbollah vowed not to surrender "no matter the sacrifices" after the death of the Ayatollah.

Despite Lebanese president Joseph Aoun announcing a ban on military activity, Naim Qassem, the head of Iranian proxy force, said: "We are facing aggression... our choice is to confront it until the ultimate sacrifice, and we will not surrender."

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Islamic Republic launches drone attack at Amazon data centre in Bahrain

Iranian state media has reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched a drone strike on an Amazon data centre in Bahrain.

Fars News Agency said the attack was carried out to assess the facility’s capability to store military and intelligence data belonging to Western adversaries.

Amazon Web Services said the strike caused “physical impacts to our infrastructure" at the site.

It added: “These strikes have caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery to our infrastructure, and in some cases required fire suppression activities that resulted in additional water damage."

Two Amazon facilities in the UAE have also reportedly come under fire from Iranian drones.