Iranian Missiles and Drones Strike Kurdish Group in Iraq

A series of aerial attacks targeted northern Iraq between July 16 and July 17, 2026, marking the largest escalation against exiled Kurdish groups since an April ceasefire. On July 17, suspected Iranian missiles and drones struck the headquarters of the Komala party, an Iranian Kurdish opposition group, near Sulaimaniyah. The strike killed between eight and nine members of the group and ignited several fires. Iranian authorities did not provide an immediate comment on the operation.

Simultaneously, air defenses in Erbil intercepted eight explosive-laden drones between 04:19 and 05:25 am on July 17. The United States-led anti-jihadist coalition is credited with these interceptions. This followed a separate drone attack on July 16 that violated Erbil's airspace and resulted in several drones being shot down.

Ali Al-Zaidi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, condemned the July 16 violation and directed security agencies to coordinate with regional forces to prevent future attacks and protect Iraqi society. No group has claimed responsibility for the specific drone attempts over Erbil.