As much as a dozen ballistic missiles launched from Iran have been fired early Sunday morning in direction of the US consulate in Iraq’s Kurdistan area capital of Erbil, officers stated.
Whereas no casualties have been reported, Iraqi and US officers gave differing accounts of the assault, which additionally broken the workplace constructing of a Kurdish information outlet.
A US State Division spokesperson told The Associated Press the strike was an “outrageous assault towards Iraqi sovereignty and show of violence.”
The official, talking on situation of anonymity, stated no People have been injured and there was no harm to the brand new authorities consulate constructing in Erbil, which is at present unoccupied.
Iraq officers have claimed that as many as 12 missiles from Iran struck the consulate and precipitated materials harm.
Satellite television station Kurdistan24, which is positioned close to the US consulate, went dwell from the studio shortly after the assault, displaying shattered glass and particles strewn throughout the studio ground.
The assault is being investigated by the federal government of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Authorities. Iraq officers claimed that the missiles have been fired from Iran, with out elaborating. US officers couldn’t affirm what kind of missiles have been fired.
The strike comes days after an Israeli airstrike killed two members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard close to Damascus, Syria. Iran’s overseas ministry strongly condemned the assault Wednesday and vowed revenge.
Iran’s state-run IRNA information company quoted Iraqi media acknowledging the assaults in Irbil, however didn’t say the place the missiles got here from.
Negotiation talks in Vienna, Austria surrounding America’s potential return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal broke up with out an settlement on Friday after new Russian calls for scrambled the talks.
Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the highest U.S. commander within the Center East, instructed AP in December that whereas remaining US forces in Iraq have pivoted to a non-combative advisory position, Iran and Iran-backed militias nonetheless need all American troops out of the area and stated he anticipated extra assaults.
President Joe Biden ended fight missions in Iraq on Dec. 31, nevertheless, US forces nonetheless present air assist and different army help for Iraq’s battle towards ISIS.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington spiked after a US drone strike close to the Baghdad airport killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and 6 others. In retaliation, Iran fired missiles on the al-Asad airbase, the place US troops have been stationed. Over 100 service members suffered traumatic mind accidents within the blasts.
Many officers imagine Iran-backed Shiite militias have been behind the assassination try on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi when armed drones descended on his Baghdad dwelling in November.
Iran has additionally been blamed for a drone strike on the US army outpost in southern Syria in October. No People have been injured or killed.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi tweeted, “The assault that focused the expensive metropolis of Erbil and terrorized its residents is an assault on the safety of our folks.
With Submit wires
