Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at perceived enemy sites in Erbil, a city in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, according to Iranian state media.
The IRGC stated that the missiles targeted espionage centers and gatherings of anti-Iranian terrorist groups in the region, leading to at least eight explosions in Erbil. This resulted in a temporary halt to air traffic at Erbil Airport.
A subsequent IRGC statement, shared by Iran’s IRNA news agency, claimed that the group had specifically targeted the headquarters of the Israeli spy agency Mossad in Erbil.
The attack resulted in four people killed and six others wounded, including the prominent businessman Peshraw Dizayee, associated with property and security services, according to the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
The United States condemned the attacks, stating that there were no casualties or impact on US facilities.
These incidents occurred amid heightened fears that Israel’s ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip could lead to a broader regional escalation.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war on October 7, US and allied forces have faced numerous attacks in Iraq and Syria, attributed by the US President Joe Biden’s administration to Iran-affiliated armed groups.
The IRGC also reported launching missile attacks against the “perpetrators of terrorist operations in the Islamic Republic, particularly ISIL [ISIS],” in Syria, as per state media.
The Guards claimed to have identified and destroyed gathering places of their commanders and key elements with a series of ballistic missiles in response to recent terrorist atrocities in Iran.
ISIL claimed responsibility for an attack in Iran’s southeastern city of Kerman earlier this month, resulting in nearly 100 casualties.
Explosions were heard in Aleppo and its countryside, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting that “at least 4 missiles that came from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea” fell.
Amid Israel’s war in Gaza, which commenced on October 7 and has led to the death of more than 24,000 Palestinians, Iran has sought to distance itself from regional tensions.
However, the recent missile attacks mark a departure from this approach, with observers noting that it represents the Iranians taking a step further.
News ID : 2750