Coalition forces down 10 drones over Iraq’s Erbil: Counterterrorism unit

International coalition air defense systems downed 10 bomb-laden drones over Erbil in Iraq’s Kurdish Region early Wednesday, local authorities said.

The region’s counterterrorism unit said coalition forces detected the drones in Erbil’s airspace between 1.13 am and 3.31 am local time, or 2213GMT Tuesday to 0031GMT Wednesday, and intercepted and destroyed them.

No casualties were reported in the attacks, the unit said.

Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted US forces and facilities in Erbil as part of simultaneous missile and drone attacks on US bases in the region.

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This came after the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) announced late Tuesday that it launched strikes against IRGC targets in Iran.

Regional tensions have escalated following US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began on Feb. 28 and Tehran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks against Israel and US interests in countries across the region, including Iraq.

Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 concerning freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but its implementation has stalled amid disagreements over security arrangements in the strait.

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