Civilians killed in strikes on Erbil include a millionaire Kurdish businessman and his family, medical sources say.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they have attacked the “espionage headquarters” of Israel in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, state media has reported, while the elite force said they had also struck Islamic State targets in Syria.

“Ballistic missiles were used to destroy espionage centers and gatherings of anti-Iranian terrorist groups in the region late tonight,” Iran’s Guards said in a statement late on Monday, naming Israel’s Mossad spy agency.

In addition to those strikes near Kurdistan’s capital Erbil, the Guards said they launched attacks in Syria against the “perpetrators of terrorist operations” in Iran, including the Islamic State.

Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ is a potent coalition but a risky strategy
Explosions were heard in an area 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of Erbil in the Kurdistan region, three security sources said, in a neighbourhood near the US consulate as well as civilian residences.

The US state department condemned the attacks near Erbil as “reckless” and said they “undermine Iraq’s stability”.

“We support the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan regional government’s efforts to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people,” state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

No US facilities were affected by the missiles strikes, two US officials told the Reuters news agency earlier.

At least four civilians were killed and six injured in the strikes on Erbil, the Kurdistan government’s security council said in a statement, describing the attack as a “crime”.

Multimillionaire Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee and several members of his family were among the dead, killed when at least one rocket crashed into their home, Iraqi security and medical sources said.

Dizayee, who was close to the region’s ruling elite, owned businesses that led major real estate projects in Kurdistan.

Additionally, one rocket had fallen on the house of a senior Kurdish intelligence official and another on a Kurdish intelligence centre, the security sources said.

Reuters could not independently verify any of the reports. Israeli government officials were not reachable for immediate comment.

Air traffic at Erbil airport was halted, the security sources said.

Iran has in the past sometimes carried out strikes in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region, saying the area is used as a staging ground for Iranian separatist groups as well as agents of its foe Israel.

Baghdad has tried to address Iranian concerns over separatist groups in the mountainous border region, moving to relocate some members as part of a security agreement reached with Tehran in 2023.

Earlier this month, Islamic State claimed responsibility for two explosions in Iran’s southeastern Kerman city that killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores at a memorial for top commander Qassem Suleimani.

doctorbabs:
Why would they site spy base in someone's country? Iran is a sovereign state.

matify83:
I thought they will target Isreal directly instead of this soft target .

matify83:
I thought they will target Isreal directly instead of this soft target .

matify83:
I thought they will target Isreal directly instead of this soft target .

matify83:
I thought they will target Isreal directly instead of this soft target .

Olatunji1929:
did coward terrorist Israel target them directly or you just want to yarn dust?

Efewestern:


The essence of having strength is that no-one can attack you unnecessary. There will be consequences. So when nations acquire deadly weapons, they do so to prevent calamity.

Iran won't dare attack Israel or any US ally without a strong justification. By justification I mean Israel firing missiles towards Iran. Which Israel won't dare do because Iran has the strength and capacity to return same quantity of destruction and even more.

What these two are doing is to target eachother outside their territories. Eg Israel striking Iran's assets in Syria or sponsoring sabotage within Iran. Iran using Lebanon proxies to strike Israel.

US with all its strength also won't strike Iran without strong justification. Iran too won't provoke US unnecessary in the middle east without a strong justification. Strength prevent further wars. If a nation is weak, they will be crushed. The leaders in Iran understands what the almighty US can do to them if they act recklessly, infact they thread with wisdom. There would have been a regime change in Iran if they hadn't amassed strength over the years. Infact, for the peace of the region, no-one wants a war with Iran. Strike assets in weak Syria and claim victory.

US regularly strikes Iran's assets in Syria and Iraq. Of course, they can hit Iran directly, but no one really wants the destruction of the entire middle east. So it's much easier to hit Iran's asset, generals etc when they step outside their secured zone into Iraq and Syria. Iran too attack US assets using their militias in those countries. That way, everyone claims victory and there won't be a total fallout of war.

This is the psychology of the human mind.

matify83:
I thought they will target Isreal directly instead of this soft target .

BOOKWORMLUX:
First to do no dey pain
🇮🇱