Numerous rockets crashed into U.S. Army bases and offices of Kurdish news channels in Erbil, Northern Iraq.
According to Governor Omed Khoshnaw, at least 12 ‘Iranian produced ballistic missiles’ struck the city on Sunday morning.
He said it was not clear whether the missiles were targeting the American consulate at the site, or the airport in the city.
Officials from the U.S. and Kurdish governments confirmed there was no loss of life in an “outrageous attack”, adding that no one has claimed any responsibility.
U.S. Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie has warned of possible attacks in this area in December. In an interview with The Associated Press, he said that although American forces in Iraq had switched to a more non-combat role last January, Iran’s proxies’still want American soldiers to leave the country.
McKenzie stated that this could lead to more attacks on American bases.
However, there were videos that appeared to have several Iranian-made ballistic missiles hitting Erbil’s base.
Moqtada al-Sadr, a Shi’ite Muslim cleric from Iraq, said via Twitter that Erbil was under attack…as if Kurds weren’t Iraqis.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, the attack took place during Vienna’s pause.
Multiple rockets crashed into an American Army base, and also destroyed a Kurdish news agency office in Erbil.
Governor Omed Khoshnaw said that at least five Iranian-made ballistic missiles struck the city on Sunday morning. It was unclear whether missiles struck the American consulate on the spot or the airport.
Kurdish Health Minister Saman Barzanji stated that there had been a ‘victim or casualty’ after the Erbil explosions. Later, US officials confirmed that there had been no military casualties in the explosions.
On September 20, the United States base at Erbil International Airport was hit by a missile attack. This happened on the 20th anniversary the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in the United States.
The attack is the second on the airport by drones in the past few months. At the time, the Erbil capital of the autonomous region’s internal security system stated that three missiles struck near the airport.
The Kurdish counterterrorism force also stated that the terrorist attack was carried out using explosive-laden drones.
In the last year, Erbil’s airport, capital of autonomous Kurdish regions, was attacked several times, even by explosive-laden drones.
Ballistic missiles have not been fired at U.S. forces since January 2020, as an Iranian revenge for Qassem Solimani’s death at Baghdad Airport earlier that month.
Despite the fact that no U.S. personnel died in the 2020 attacks, several suffered serious head injuries.
This map shows the location of the attack at Erbil International Airport, Iraq.
On Saturday, a drone strike hit close to U.S. troops stationed at Erbil International Airport (northern Iraq).
U.S. officials blame Iran-aligned Shi’ite Islamic militias for previous attacks. These groups have promised to continue fighting until at least 2,500 U.S. troops leave.
An international coalition of military forces is being led by the United States. Its mandate is to aid Iraqi forces in fighting remnants from Sunni extremist Islamic State.
It is the second drone attack within two months. In July, one was also at the airport. There weren’t any injuries and no structural damage.
This attack happened a day after rockets, a drone, and rockets attacked Ain al-Asad, an air base that houses U.S. troops.
Unmanned drones dropped explosives on April 12th near Erbil, Iraq.
Officials from Iraqi Kurdish Security said that a drone strike hit close to U.S. troops stationed at Erbil International Airport, northern Iraq. After another rocket attack, Erbil International Airport was pictured February 2, after flights were restarted.
The United States and Iran regularly clash in violence over Syria and Iraq. Iran-backed Shi’ite Islamicist militias attacked U.S. forces both in Iraq and Syria. Washington has sometimes retaliated by launching air strikes.
According to Iranian state media, two Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members were killed by an Israeli strike on Syria Monday. It stated that the IRGC had promised to retaliate.
Officials from Kurdish government did not immediately reveal the exact location of the missiles. Regional authorities spokesperson said that there was no disruption at Erbil Airport.
Video footage posted online by residents of Erbil shows several explosions and others saying that the blasts shaken their houses. Reuters was unable to verify the videos.
Since the victory of Sunni Islamist group Islamic State by U.S.-led forces in 2017, Iraq is experiencing chronic instability.
U.S. diplomats and military facilities in Iraq have been repeatedly attacked by Iran-aligned militant militias since that time, according to U.S. and many Iraqi officials. Iran has denied involvement in the attacks.
Violent domestic politics is also fuelled by them.
The majority of the Iraqi political parties have armed wings and are in tension over how to form a government following an October election.
Iran’s Shiite militia groups warn that they may resort to violence to be excluded from any ruling coalition.
Their main political enemies are their Shi’ite counterpart, Moqtada Al-Sadr (populist cleric), who has pledged to create a government without Iran’s allies, and that includes Sunnis and Kurds.