The United States (US) has condemned Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which launched ballistic missiles. The IRGC targeted what they claimed were Israeli ‘spy headquarters’ in Iraq’s Kurdish region, hitting ISIL targets in northern Syria.
The IRGC stated that the missile strikes aimed to defend Iran’s security and counter-terrorism, targeting Mossad’s headquarters in Erbil.
“Ballistic missiles were used to destroy espionage centers and gatherings of anti-Iranian terrorist groups,” read the IRGC statement.
“We assure our nation that the Guards’ offensive operations will continue until avenging the last drops of martyrs’ blood,” they added.
The Iraqi government condemned Iran’s actions as aggression, leading to civilian casualties in Erbil. The government stated it would consider different actions, including filing a complaint at the United Nations Security Council. Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also condemned the attack as a ‘crime against the Kurdish people,’ while Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw described the assault as ‘a terrorist attack, an inhumane act.’ However, he said, ‘Erbil will not be scared or shaken.’
The United States criticized the missile attacks as reckless, undermining Iraq’s stability, but reported no casualties among its personnel or facilities.
The strikes come amid heightened tensions in the region, including the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The IRGC also mentioned launching missile attacks in Syria against the perpetrators of recent terrorist activities, particularly ISIL.
At least eight explosions were heard in Erbil, resulting in four people killed and six wounded, according to the regional security council.
Multimillionaire Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee and members of his family were among the civilian casualties, killed when a rocket crashed into their home.
