An explosion was reported Tuesday near Irbil International Airport, the capital of northern Iraq’s autonomous region, as Iraq is increasingly drawn into the wider Middle East war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
Pro-Iran armed groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq and across the region, while strikes have also targeted the groups.
Irbil is home to a major U.S. consulate complex, while its airport hosts military advisers from a U.S.-led anti-terrorism coalition.
Air defenses have usually intercepted regular drone attacks by pro-Iran armed groups.
Another AFP journalist said debris from the intercepted attack had fallen on cars and homes near the airport, causing some damage, and reported seeing smoke rising over the city.
A base in northern Sulaymaniyah province hosting the northern Iraq's regional armed forces was also targeted overnight by a missile and rocket attack, the regional force said, adding there were no casualties.
In southern Iraq, security officials said a drone had fallen in an oil field, but there had been no explosions or injuries reported.
Many oil operations in Iraq have been paused since the outbreak of the war.
Overnight, former paramilitary Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) – part of the regular army, but which contains some pro-Iran groups – said its positions were targeted.
There were no casualties after three U.S.-Israeli strikes targeted its forces in Jurf al-Sakher, it said.
The base is also known as Jurf al-Nasr, and is one of the strongholds of the pro-Iran U.S.-blacklisted groups Kataeb Hezbollah.
