Key facts
- Iraqi air defenses intercepted multiple drones near the U.S. consulate in Erbil.
- The incidents occurred on Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
- No casualties or damage have been reported from the drone attacks.
- Erbil International Airport temporarily suspended flights.
- The attacks coincide with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's visit to Washington.
Iraqi air defenses intercepted multiple drones near the U.S. consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, across several days in late July 2026. Security sources reported incidents on Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with varying numbers of drones involved. On Tuesday, Iraqi security sources stated that three explosive-laden drones were intercepted, with two targeting a camp belonging to the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), an Iranian Kurdish opposition group. The following day, Kurdish counterterrorism forces reported that U.S.-led coalition forces downed and destroyed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil. Separately, the international coalition’s air defense systems were reported to have intercepted four drones on Wednesday evening as they approached the U.S. consulate and its logistics base. No casualties or damage have been reported from these incidents. Erbil International Airport temporarily suspended flights during these events but later announced their resumption. These drone attacks occurred during the Middle East war and amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran, with the Kurdistan region frequently targeted by pro-Iran Iraqi militias. The incidents also coincide with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's visit to Washington, where he met with President Donald Trump. Zaidi had previously given pro-Iran armed groups until September 30 to disarm.