ERBIL: Air defences were activated as several explosions were heard on Wednesday near the US consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region.

Journalists reported seeing several drones hovering over Erbil, before being hit by air defences, resulting in explosions and visible smoke near the consulate, which was a target of repeated drone and rocket attacks during the Middle East war.

These are the first reported blasts near the consulate in Erbil since a fragile ceasefire began in April.

They coincide with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s one-week visit to Washington, where he met President Donald Trump, and also come against the backdrop of renewed military escalation between the United States and Iran.

No group has claimed responsibility for any attacks.

During the Middle East war, the Kurdistan region, which hosts US troops and numerous foreign oil companies, was a primary target for drone attacks, carried out mostly by pro-Iran Iraqi armed groups.

Those groups, operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, targeted US facilities in Iraq more than 600 times in support of Tehran.

Zaidi has given pro-Iran armed groups, which Washington designates as terrorist organisations, until September 30 to disarm, coinciding with the end of the US-led coalition’s mission.

While some armed groups have said they would cooperate, others remain firm in their refusal to disarm, instead vowing to strengthen their capacities.

Since the start of the war, and even after the ceasefire, Iran has also repeatedly struck Iranian Kurdish rebel groups, which have camps and bases in Iraq’s Kurdistan.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026