Explosions reported near US Consulate in Iraq; Iran claims responsibility

Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed it was targeting "the headquarters of spies."

January 15, 2024, 8:31 PM

Several explosions were reported near the U.S. Consulate in Erbil, Iraq, an Iraqi security source told ABC News.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps quickly took responsibility for the attacks, saying it was targeting the "headquarters of spies" and "anti-Iranian terrorist gatherings in parts of the region" with ballistic missiles.

Four people were killed, and six were injured in the attack, the Kurdistan Regional Security Council said.

There were no coalition forces or American forces killed in the bombing of Erbil, the Iraqi security source told ABC News.

"No US facilities were impacted. We're not tracking damage to infrastructure or injuries at this time," a U.S. official told ABC News.

Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Masrour Barzani condemned the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps attacks on Erbil, Iraq in a post on X.

"I condemn this cowardly attack on the people of the Kurdistan Region in the strongest terms. I urge the federal government in Baghdad to take a principled position against the flagrant violation of Iraq's and the Kurdistan Region's sovereignty," Barzani said on X.

The Iraqi government will hold a security meeting Tuesday about the "Iranian violation of Iraqi territory and Iranian non-compliance with the security agreement between the two countries," local Iraqi media reported early Tuesday local time.

Coalition forces also shot down three drones near Erbil airport in Iraq, the source said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Related Topics