In a show of force from Tehran, Iranian missiles struck the sprawling U.S. Consulate complex last night, located in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the strike, which included some 12 ballistic missiles hitting a US facility located near an airbase in Erbil during the early hours of Sunday.
Iran’s state media outlets have also reported that the attack was targeting a Israeli strategic “Mossad training centres” located near the US complex.
In a statement issued by the IRGC, the operation was launched in response to an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian capital of Damascus last Monday, in which two Iranians were killed:
“Following the recent crimes of the fake Zionist regime and the previous announcement that the crimes and evils of this infamous regime will not go unanswered, the strategic center for conspiracy and evil of the Zionists was targeted by powerful and pinpoint missiles of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps,” it said.
The timing couldn’t be more poignant, as the tension between the West and Russia reach a fever pitch over Ukraine, and also as the P5+1 nations attempt to revive the failed 2015 JCPOA Iran nuclear deal, which is said to be in jeopardy after a last-minute request by both the EU and Russian delegations to ‘pause’ negotiations for an undetermined time.
Reuters reports…
The missiles, which targeted the U.S. consulate’s new building and a neighbouring residential area, caused only material damage and one civilian was injured, the Kurdish interior ministry said. An Iraqi security official told Reuters that the missiles were manufactured in Iran.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards released a statement taking responsibility for the missile attack against Israeli “strategic centres” in Erbil, Iran’s state media reported.
BREAKING:
At least 6 Fateh-110 missiles have just been launched from Tabriz, Iran against the American Consulate in Erbil, Iraq.
Massive explosions have been recorded by Iraqi civilians near the consulate. pic.twitter.com/ZZ5x4lWqL1
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 12, 2022
“Any repetition of attacks by Israel will be met with a harsh, decisive and destructive response,” the Revolutionary Guard said in the statement.
A U.S. official blamed Iran for the attack earlier on Sunday but did not give further details.
A Kurdish spokesperson for the regional authorities said that Sunday’s attack only targeted civilian residential areas, not a foreign base and called on the international community to carry out an investigation.
Get Clive de Carle's Natural Health essentials of the finest quality, including vitamin & mineral supplements here.
Separately, a U.S. State Department spokesperson called it an “outrageous attack” but said no Americans were hurt and there was no damage to U.S. government facilities in Erbil. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Mathew H. Tueller condemned the attack and said “Iranian regime elements have claimed responsibility for this attack and must be held accountable.”
France’s foreign ministry said Sunday’s missile strike on Erbil threatened efforts to conclude nuclear talks with Iran.
U.S. forces stationed at Erbil’s international airport complex have in the past come under fire from rocket and drone attacks that Washington blames on Iran-aligned militia groups, but no such attacks have occurred for several months.
Asked about Sunday’s attack, Israel’s military said it did not comment on reports in the foreign press and the prime minister’s office declined to comment.
NOTE: Interestingly, there is little to no mention of last night’s missile attack on any of the major US broadcast news outlets, aside from some online mentions. Below are CNN’s main headlines for last 12 hours. Absolutely no mention of the Iranian missile strike on US and Israeli facilities:
READ MORE IRAN NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Iran Files
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR INDEPENDENT MEDIA PLATFORM HERE
