Multiple rockets ‘smash into US Army base and Kurdish news channel office’ in Erbil

Multiple rockets have smashed into a US Army base and a Kurdish news channel office in Erbil, northern Iraq.  

At least five ‘Iranian-produced ballistic missiles’ hit the city in the early hours of Sunday, Governor Omed Khoshnaw confirmed. 

He said it was not clear whether the missiles were targeting the American consulate at the site, or the airport in the city. 

There were ‘victims or casualties after Erbil blasts’  Kurdish Health Minister Saman Barzanji said. US officials later confirmed there were no military victims of the blasts. 

No further details were immediately available but videos posted online appeared to show several ‘Iranian produced’ ballistic missiles hitting the base in Erbil.   

Iraqi Shi’ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Twitter: ‘Erbil is under fire… as if Kurds were not Iraqis’. 

At least five ‘Iranian-produced ballistic missiles’ hit the city in the early hours of Sunday, Governor Omed Khoshnaw confirmed. He said it was not clear whether the missiles were targeting the American consulate at the site, or the airport in the city

There were ‘victims or casualties after Erbil blasts’ Kurdish Health Minister Saman Barzanji said. US officials later confirmed there were no military victims of the blasts

The US base at Erbil International Airport was also hit by a rocket attack in September, on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States.  

It is the second drone attack on the airport in as many months. The internal security service for the autonomous region, of which Erbil is the capital, initially said at the time that three rockets had hit near the airport.

A second statement by the Kurdish counter-terrorism force said the attack had been carried out by explosive-laden drones. 

The airport in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region, has come under attack several times in the past year, including by drones carrying explosives.

The attack occurred at the Erbil International Airport in Iraq, shown on this map

A drone attack hit near U.S. forces stationed at Erbil International Airport in northern Iraq on Saturday

US officials blame previous attacks on Iran-aligned Shi’ite Muslim militias which have vowed to fight until the remaining 2,500 US military personnel leave the country.

The US forces are leading an international military coalition whose mandate is to help Iraqi forces fight remnants of the Sunni extremist Islamic State group. 

This is the second attack in two months, with one drone striking the airport in July. There were no injuries or any structural damage.

That attack came a day after rockets and a drone targeted Ain al-Asad air base, which houses US troops, and the US Embassy in Baghdad.

In April, a drone dropped explosives near the US forces stationed at Erbil airport.

A drone attack hit near U.S. forces stationed at Erbil International Airport in northern Iraq on Saturday, Iraqi Kurdish security officials said. Pictured: Erbil International Airport is pictured in February after flights restarted, following another rocket attack outside the international airport