Air defenses down 7 drones over Iraq’s Erbil, local media say

Air defense systems shot down seven unidentified drones overnight over Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, before they could reach targets inside the city, local media reported.

Local outlets said the “suicide drones” were intercepted before carrying out attacks. Authorities did not disclose the origin of the drones or whether the interceptions caused casualties or material damage.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a rocket and a drone targeted the Azadi Camp, affiliated with the Iranian Kurdish Democratic Party, in the Koya (Koy Sanjaq) area of Erbil.

The attack on the camp, where families of party members live, caused no casualties, according to reports.

Authorities with the Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq have not issued an official statement on the incidents.

Hostilities in the region have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,340 people to date, including the then-supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Iran has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

*Writing by Lina Altawell in Istanbul