Drones Shot Down Over Erbil Near U.S. Consulate as Iran-Israel Conflict Expands to Iraqi Kurdistan
Drones launched by Iran toward the U.S. Consulate and Erbil International Airport were shot down over Erbil, as Tehran's retaliation for joint U.S.-Israeli strikes expands to targets in the Kurdistan Region.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Several drones were shot down over Erbil on Saturday after Iran reportedly launched aerial attacks targeting U.S. military positions in the region, including near the American consulate and Erbil International Airport.
The developments come on Saturday, after Israel and the United States carried out joint strikes on Iranian territory. In response, Tehran has targeted U.S. military bases across the region with missile attacks.
Within that framework, Iran launched several drones toward the U.S. Consulate in Erbil and the city’s international airport. However, the drones were intercepted and brought down before reaching their intended targets.
Earlier in the day, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel had initiated a preemptive strike against Iran.
“This morning, we began a preemptive attack against Iran and carried out a number of airstrikes on Tehran, the capital of that country,” Katz said.
Israeli media reported that the strikes were conducted in coordination with the United States. Simultaneously, Iranian media stated that new explosions continued to be heard in central Tehran, with multiple locations bombed since early morning.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that airstrikes targeted dozens of military sites inside Iran. According to the same source, Israel has fully closed its airspace, and several airlines have canceled flights to Tel Aviv.
The Israeli government has declared a state of emergency nationwide, suspending school and educational activities. Movement of civilians has also been restricted in certain areas due to the heightened security situation.
The downing of drones over Erbil underscores the widening scope of the confrontation, as the conflict increasingly affects regional capitals and critical infrastructure beyond the immediate Israel-Iran front lines.