The United States has strongly criticized Iran for launching missile attacks near the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, denouncing the strikes as “reckless and imprecise.”
The Revolutionary Guards of Iran asserted that they fired ballistic missiles toward an Israeli “spy headquarters” located in northern Iraq. Iraq’s Kurdistan Security Council reported that four people were killed and six injured in the attack, leading the country to denounce the strikes as an infringement on its sovereignty.
Tensions in the region have escalated since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, leading to spillover conflicts involving Iran-aligned militias in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The White House National Security Council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, stated that the U.S. supports Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasizing that no U.S. personnel or facilities were targeted.
The Revolutionary Guards justified their actions by claiming to have destroyed a key Mossad espionage headquarters in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, citing it as a response to perceived atrocities by the Israeli government. This is not the first time Iran has conducted attacks in Iraq’s Kurdistan, alleging the region’s use by Iranian separatist groups and alleged Israeli agents.
Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani condemned the Irbil attack as a “crime against the Kurdish people.” Among the casualties was prominent businessman Peshraw Dizayee, according to the Kurdistan Democratic Party. The Revolutionary Guards also asserted targeting Islamic State (IS) group positions in Syria, leading to explosions in Aleppo and its countryside. This action was purportedly in retaliation for a suicide bombing earlier in the month, marking the anniversary of Iranian spymaster Qasem Soleimani’s assassination by the U.S.
The situation remains fluid, with ongoing assessments of the events, but the incident underscores the volatile dynamics in the region amid geopolitical tensions.