Multiple drone attacks have been reported across Iraq's Kurdistan Region, including in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Dohuk. Coalition air defenses intercepted several drones over Erbil, while explosions were reported at arm warehouses and near the US Consulate.
The drone strikes in Iraq raise regional tensions and highlight ongoing security concerns in the Kurdistan Region, with potential implications for international relations and energy infrastructure.
Multiple explosions were reported in Iraq's northern cities of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah on July 31, 2026, following drone attacks. Unverified reports indicated that the strikes targeted arm warehouses and headquarters belonging to "separatist groups."
According to Al Jazeera, citing police sources and local media, a series of explosions struck Erbil early Tuesday after Iranian drones targeted multiple locations in the Kurdistan region, including areas near the US Consulate. Police sources stated that at least four Iranian drones targeted the Khalifan and Soran areas, northeast of Erbil, triggering large fires. Two drones reportedly crashed near the targeted locations.
The Directorate General of Counter-Terrorism (CTD) in the Kurdistan Region officially confirmed that international coalition air defense systems successfully tracked and intercepted multiple hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to the security broadcast, coalition defenses shot down five explosive-laden kamikaze drones in the airspace directly surrounding the regional capital of Erbil before they could reach their intended strategic targets, resulting in zero reported civilian casualties.
A high-order detonation tore through the Tasluja district in Sulaymaniyah at approximately 8:30 PM, followed by a massive structural fire. Local residents and field correspondents verified that the site housed a significant cache of heavy munitions and tactical hardware. The shockwave forced dozens of families in adjacent residential blocks to flee their homes.
Simultaneously, regional radar nets picked up additional low-altitude drone signatures crossing into the Harir mountain range. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, citing Iraqi sources, reported that an American drone had been destroyed in Iraq's Al Anbar province, with local media publishing images purportedly showing wreckage near the Haditha Dam. IRIB also stated that the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaymaniyah came under attack.
New drone attacks have also been reported in Dohuk, located in Iraq's Kurdistan Region.