A dozen ballistic missiles hit Iraq’s Kurdish capital: Officials

No casualties reported as a dozen ballistic missiles launched from outside Iraq hit the northern Kurdish regional capital Erbil, officials say.

A dozen ballistic missiles launched from outside Iraq have struck the country’s northern Kurdish regional capital Erbil, Kurdish officials say, adding there are no casualties.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility or further details available.

Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw earlier told Erbil-based broadcaster Rudaw that there was a terror attack against the US Consulate.

A US State Department spokesperson on Sunday called it an “outrageous attack” but said no Americans were hurt and there was no damage to US government facilities in Erbil.

Iraqi state TV quoted the semi-autonomous Kurdish region’s counterterrorism force as saying 12 missiles launched from outside Iraq hit Erbil. It was not immediately clear where they landed.

An Iranian state TV correspondent said the missiles were aimed at “secret Israeli bases” but did not give further information.

Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of northern Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) condemned the attack.

In a post on KRG’s official Twitter account, Barzani said: “Erbil will not bow down to cowards. I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on several places in Erbil.”

The US forces stationed at Erbil’s international airport complex have in the past come under fire from rocket and drone attacks that US officials blame on Iran-aligned armed groups, but no such attacks have occurred for several months.

The last time ballistic missiles were directed at US forces was in January 2020 – an Iranian retaliation for the US killing earlier that month of its military commander Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad airport.

No US personnel were killed in the 2020 attack but many suffered head injuries.

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