Erbil air defenses intercept drones as group claims strike on US bases
Shafaq News- Erbil
Air defense systems engaged aerial targets over Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, late Sunday after explosions were heard across several parts of the city, a security source told Shafaq News.
The source said air defenses intercepted multiple objects in the city’s airspace, without immediately providing details on damage or casualties.
Shortly after the incident, a group calling itself “Saraya Awliya Al-Dam” claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting US military bases in Erbil.
In a statement, the group said the operation was carried out using a swarm of drones, describing it as support for Iran in its confrontation with “US–Israeli aggression,” and framing the attack as a defense of Iraqi sovereignty.
The incident comes amid a rapidly expanding regional confrontation that began on Saturday when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Iran, targeting senior leadership and strategic facilities.
The strikes reportedly hit figures including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his adviser Ali Shamkhani, and several senior military commanders, including leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US military facilities across the region, including bases in Gulf countries and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
