Baghdad: 12 missiles A US defense official and an Iraqi official have been killed near a massive US consulate complex in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil on Sunday, a neighbour. Iran,
There were no casualties in the attack, which marked a significant escalation between the US and Iran. Enmity is often played out between enemies for a long time IraqWhose government is affiliated with both the countries.
The Iraqi official in Baghdad initially said several missiles had hit the US consulate in Irbil and that it was the target of the attack. Later, the head of Kurdistan’s Foreign Media Office, Locke Ghafari, said that none of the missiles had hit the US facility, but did hit areas around the complex.
A US defense official said it was still uncertain how many missiles were fired and where they actually landed. A second US official said there was no damage to any US government facilities and there was no indication that the target was the consulate building, which is new and is currently vacant.
Neither Iraqi officials nor US officials were authorized to discuss the incident with the media and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Satellite broadcast channel Kurdistan24, which is located near the US consulate, broadcast from his studio shortly after the attack, showing broken glass and debris on the floor of his studio.
The attack comes days after Iran said it would respond to an Israeli attack near Damascus, Syria, in which two members of its Revolutionary Guard were killed. On Sunday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency quoted Iraqi media as acknowledging the attacks in Irbil as to where they originated.
An Iranian spokesman rejected the allegation that Iran was behind the Irbil attack. Mahmoud Abbaszadeh, spokesman for Iran’s parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, said the allegation was yet to be confirmed.
“If Iran decides to take revenge … it will be very, very serious, strong, obvious,” he said in an interview with a local news website.
The missile barrage coincided with regional tensions. Talks in Vienna over Tehran’s broken nuclear deal came on a “pause” over Russian demands about sanctions targeting Moscow for its war on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, after carrying out its largest known mass execution in modern history with the killing of more than three dozen Shi’ites, launched its secret Baghdad campaign aimed at de-escalating tensions for years with regional rival Saudi Arabia. – Broker suspended negotiations.
Iraqi security officials said there were no casualties in the Irbil attack, which they said happened after midnight and caused material damage in the area. He spoke on condition of anonymity as per rules.
One of the Iraqi officials said the ballistic missiles were fired from Iran, without elaborating. He said the projectiles were Iranian-made Fateh-110, possibly fired in retaliation for two Revolutionary Guards killed in Syria.
Another US official said in a statement that the US condemned “derogatory attacks and displays of violence against Iraqi sovereignty”.
US forces stationed at Irbil’s airport compound have come under fire from rocket and drone attacks in the past, with US officials blaming Iran-backed groups.
The top US commander for the Middle East has repeatedly warned about the growing threat of attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed militias on troops and allies in Iraq and Syria.
In an interview with the Associated Press in December, Marine General Frank McKenzie said that while US forces in Iraq have shifted to a non-combatant role, Iran and its representatives still want all US troops to leave the country. As a result, he said, it could lead to more attacks.
The Biden administration last July decided to end US combat missions in Iraq by December 31, and the US military gradually moved to an advisory role last year. The military will still provide air support and other military support for Iraq’s fight against Islamic State.
The US presence in Iraq has long been a flash point for Tehran, but tensions escalated after a US drone strike near Baghdad airport in January 2020 that killed a top Iranian general. In retaliation, Iran launched a barrage of missiles at the al-Assad airbase, where US troops were stationed. More than 100 service members suffered traumatic brain injuries in the blasts.
More recently, an Iranian proxy has been blamed for an assassination attempt on the Iraqi prime minister late last year. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi,
And officials have said they believe Iran was behind October’s drone strike on a military post in southern Syria where US troops are located. No American personnel were killed or injured in the attack.
Al-Kadhimi tweeted: “The aggression that targeted the beloved city of Irbil and spread fear among its residents is an attack on the safety of our people.”
Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of the semi-autonomous Kurdish-controlled region, condemned the attack. In a Facebook post, he said that Irbil “will not bow down to the cowards of the terrorist attacks.”
There were no casualties in the attack, which marked a significant escalation between the US and Iran. Enmity is often played out between enemies for a long time IraqWhose government is affiliated with both the countries.
The Iraqi official in Baghdad initially said several missiles had hit the US consulate in Irbil and that it was the target of the attack. Later, the head of Kurdistan’s Foreign Media Office, Locke Ghafari, said that none of the missiles had hit the US facility, but did hit areas around the complex.
A US defense official said it was still uncertain how many missiles were fired and where they actually landed. A second US official said there was no damage to any US government facilities and there was no indication that the target was the consulate building, which is new and is currently vacant.
Neither Iraqi officials nor US officials were authorized to discuss the incident with the media and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Satellite broadcast channel Kurdistan24, which is located near the US consulate, broadcast from his studio shortly after the attack, showing broken glass and debris on the floor of his studio.
The attack comes days after Iran said it would respond to an Israeli attack near Damascus, Syria, in which two members of its Revolutionary Guard were killed. On Sunday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency quoted Iraqi media as acknowledging the attacks in Irbil as to where they originated.
An Iranian spokesman rejected the allegation that Iran was behind the Irbil attack. Mahmoud Abbaszadeh, spokesman for Iran’s parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, said the allegation was yet to be confirmed.
“If Iran decides to take revenge … it will be very, very serious, strong, obvious,” he said in an interview with a local news website.
The missile barrage coincided with regional tensions. Talks in Vienna over Tehran’s broken nuclear deal came on a “pause” over Russian demands about sanctions targeting Moscow for its war on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, after carrying out its largest known mass execution in modern history with the killing of more than three dozen Shi’ites, launched its secret Baghdad campaign aimed at de-escalating tensions for years with regional rival Saudi Arabia. – Broker suspended negotiations.
Iraqi security officials said there were no casualties in the Irbil attack, which they said happened after midnight and caused material damage in the area. He spoke on condition of anonymity as per rules.
One of the Iraqi officials said the ballistic missiles were fired from Iran, without elaborating. He said the projectiles were Iranian-made Fateh-110, possibly fired in retaliation for two Revolutionary Guards killed in Syria.
Another US official said in a statement that the US condemned “derogatory attacks and displays of violence against Iraqi sovereignty”.
US forces stationed at Irbil’s airport compound have come under fire from rocket and drone attacks in the past, with US officials blaming Iran-backed groups.
The top US commander for the Middle East has repeatedly warned about the growing threat of attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed militias on troops and allies in Iraq and Syria.
In an interview with the Associated Press in December, Marine General Frank McKenzie said that while US forces in Iraq have shifted to a non-combatant role, Iran and its representatives still want all US troops to leave the country. As a result, he said, it could lead to more attacks.
The Biden administration last July decided to end US combat missions in Iraq by December 31, and the US military gradually moved to an advisory role last year. The military will still provide air support and other military support for Iraq’s fight against Islamic State.
The US presence in Iraq has long been a flash point for Tehran, but tensions escalated after a US drone strike near Baghdad airport in January 2020 that killed a top Iranian general. In retaliation, Iran launched a barrage of missiles at the al-Assad airbase, where US troops were stationed. More than 100 service members suffered traumatic brain injuries in the blasts.
More recently, an Iranian proxy has been blamed for an assassination attempt on the Iraqi prime minister late last year. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi,
And officials have said they believe Iran was behind October’s drone strike on a military post in southern Syria where US troops are located. No American personnel were killed or injured in the attack.
Al-Kadhimi tweeted: “The aggression that targeted the beloved city of Irbil and spread fear among its residents is an attack on the safety of our people.”
Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of the semi-autonomous Kurdish-controlled region, condemned the attack. In a Facebook post, he said that Irbil “will not bow down to the cowards of the terrorist attacks.”