Baghdad, July 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Five drones were intercepted near Erbil International Airport in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Friday, while a sixth crashed in a nearby agricultural area, according to a local security source.
The source said six drones targeted Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Air defence systems shot down five drones near the airport, while the sixth crashed, triggering a fire in crops and grass. Civil defence teams were deployed to extinguish the blaze. No casualties were reported.
The latest incident follows a series of drone attacks on Erbil in recent days, with the US Consulate and the international coalition base near the airport believed to be among the intended targets.
Earlier this week, air defence systems at the US Consulate intercepted four drones targeting the facility. The attack prompted a temporary suspension of operations at Erbil International Airport before flights resumed later the same day.
The repeated drone attacks come amid heightened regional tensions following recent military exchanges between the United States and Iran. Security concerns have intensified across Iraq and neighbouring countries as US military installations and diplomatic facilities remain on high alert.
Last week, the US Central Command confirmed that a US service member was killed and another injured in northern Iraq during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone.
Authorities have not identified those responsible for Friday’s attack, and investigations are continuing.
FOLLOW NOW
