In a daring attack, an outlawed group targeted the Erbil Air Base adjacent to the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil International Airport with an explosive drone. The incident occurred at 9:52 PM local time, as reported by the General Directorate of Counter Terrorism. The Erbil Air Base houses the international Coalition against ISIS.

The counter-terrorism forces successfully shot down the explosive drone, preventing potential damage and casualties. However, the press release did not provide details regarding any reported casualties or specific damage caused by the incident.

This comes in the wake of escalating drone attacks on Coalition forces in the region. In late December, at least three US service members were wounded in a drone strike on the same base, leading to a retaliatory US strike on an Iranian-backed militia group. The retaliation resulted in the death of at least one militia member and injuries to 18 others.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani has initiated an investigation into a recent drone strike on a Peshmerga base in Erbil, which caused material damages only.

Iranian-backed groups have been implicated in the increased frequency of rocket and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq, including those in the Kurdistan Region. The surge in attacks follows the eruption of the Hamas-Israel conflict, triggered by the Palestinian Islamist group’s October 7th attack on southern Israeli communities.

Since then, American forces in both Iraq and Syria have faced over 100 attacks, underscoring the heightened security challenges in the region. The situation remains tense as authorities continue to investigate and address the evolving threat landscape.