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Iran’s war against regional states: UAE bore the brunt, Iraqi Kurdistan still under fire
The ceasefire between the US and Iran has largely held since April 8, and large-scale Iranian barrages targeting predominantly Arab states have ended. However, some attacks, particularly against Iraqi Kurdistan, have continued.
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6 Kurdistan Regional Government soldiers killed in Iranian attack on northern Iraq
Six Peshmerga fighters were killed, and more than 20 were wounded in a missile strike north of Erbil on March 24, marking the deadliest attack on the Kurdistan Region since late February. The strike is part of a broader wave of drone and missile attacks by Iran and Iranian-backed militias targeting northern Iraq, US facilities, and Kurdish forces. In addition, rockets were fired toward Syria on March 23, and at least 15 members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces were killed in a likely US airstrike in Iraq’s Anbar province.
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Iranian-backed militias escalate attacks in Iraq, send mixed signals on next steps
Iranian-backed militias have continued conducting attacks across Iraq, recently targeting US and foreign diplomatic sites in Baghdad and Erbil. Hundreds of strikes have hit the Kurdistan Region since late February, wounding Peshmerga forces and damaging key locations. While Kataib Hezbollah signaled a possible temporary pause in attacks tied to specific demands on March 18, other groups, such as Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada, vowed to continue.
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Fighting intensifies between Damascus and Syrian Democratic Forces as diplomatic talks resume
Battles between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have continued to intensify despite a US-mediated ceasefire agreement. The latest clashes have involved drone strikes, rocket and artillery fire, and suicide bombings.
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Iraq investigation concludes drones struck Khor Mor gas field, Kurdistan Region requests air defenses
An Iraqi government investigation into the November 26 attack on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region concluded on December 3 that two drones carried out the attack. The committee investigating the incident has recommended establishing an integrated air defense system for the site. US officials meeting with their counterparts from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) discussed support for the KRG and bolstering coordination against threats.
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Vital Khor Mor gas field attacked in Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq
A November 26 drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq has led to power outages. The attack has been condemned by the US, UN, Turkey, Iran, and local Iraqi officials. Kurdistan Regional Government officials have called for increased protection of the facility, which has been targeted a dozen times in the last several years. Iranian-backed militias using kamikaze drones have been blamed for past attacks, and officials in Baghdad and Erbil vowed to investigate.
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Iraq votes in parliamentary elections amid US security talks and concerns about Iranian influence
On November 11, Iraqis voted in the country’s sixth parliamentary election since 2006. More than 30 million people were eligible to vote, and estimates say turnout was around 55 percent. There were 329 seats up for election, with Iraqi parties divided along sectarian and ethnic lines. On the eve of the election, US officials met with their Iraqi counterparts to discuss future security cooperation. Meanwhile, Iran is closely monitoring the election results as pro-Iranian parties and militias seek to secure seats in parliament.
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US, UK condemn drone attacks targeting energy sites in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region
The US and UK Embassies in Baghdad have issued statements regarding recent drone attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. “The United States condemns the recent drone attacks throughout Iraq, including the July 14 and July 15 drone attacks on critical infrastructure at the Khormala and Sarsang oil fields in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region,” the US said on July 15. Drone attacks continued on July 16 and 17. Officials in the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government have accused Iranian-backed militias within Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces of the attacks.
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Kurdish government blames Iranian-backed PMF for drone attacks targeting Iraqi Kurdistan
On July 5, northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government blamed the Iraqi federal government’s Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) for drone attacks impacting Iraqi Kurdistan. An Iraqi official rejected the accusations. Since June 30, there have been numerous drone attacks targeting the autonomous Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. The PMF and Iran have been behind attacks in the area over the past several years, including targeting US forces and Iranian dissident groups.
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Drone attack targets gas field in northern Iraq
On February 2, a drone targeted the Khor Mor gas field in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Dana Gas, which runs the facility, said that operations continued as normal, and there were no injuries. The same area has been attacked several times in recent years, including by an Iranian-type Shahed drone in April 2024. The US Embassy condemned the attack, and Iraq’s prime minister called for an investigation.
