The situation in the Middle East has escalated sharply in recent hours. The air defense of the US diplomatic mission in the Iraqi city of Erbil has intercepted and shot down three drones loaded with explosives in the immediate vicinity of the US consulate. The incident coincides with the end of the second massive wave of airstrikes carried out by the US armed forces against strategic sites on the territory of Iran within the last 24 hours.
Drone attack in Erbil: air defense systems on alert
According to official information from the Kurdish security forces, quoted by world news agencies, three kamikaze drones have headed towards the area of the US consulate and the international airport in Erbil, where American coalition troops are stationed. The activated air defense systems of the consular complex managed to neutralize the threat in time.
Ground teams report powerful explosions in the sky and falling debris, but at the moment there is no information about injured citizens or serious material damage. Security forces have cordoned off the area of the incident to conduct an inspection and collect evidence of the origin of the machines.
Second wave of US strikes: CENTCOM attacks Tehran
Almost simultaneously with the incident in Iraq, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued an official statement confirming the successful completion of a new phase of the military operation. US forces have struck dozens of military targets deep inside Iranian territory.
According to the CENTCOM report, the targeted air and sea-based precision munitions attacks targeted:
- Iranian Army Command and Control Centers
- Air Defense Systems (Air Defense) Positions
- Tactical Missile and Drone Storage and Launchers
- Coastal observation posts and radar stations along the Persian Gulf
Washington justified its actions as a necessary measure to ensure the security of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and protect American personnel in the region.
Explosions in Khondab and downed American MQ-9 Reaper
The Iranian state news agency Fars reported a series of powerful explosions in the strategic city of Khondab, located in Central Iran. Witnesses on the scene described the situation as a massive air campaign, with sounds of fighter jets flying overhead and detonations echoing in different parts of the settlement.
In response to the American offensive, Iran's Defense Ministry announced that its air defense forces had detected and successfully shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance and strike drone. Tehran described the drone's presence near its airspace as direct aggression and warned that it had the full right to a reciprocal response to protect its sovereignty.