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2024 Iranian missile strikes in Iraq and Syria

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2024 Iranian missile strikes in Iraq and Syria
Part of the Kurdish–Iranian conflict, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict, and the Iranian-led attacks on American troops in Iraq and Syria
TypeMissile and drone attack
Locations
Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

36°18′18″N 44°07′56″E / 36.30500°N 44.13222°E / 36.30500; 44.13222[a]
Taltita, Idlib Governorate, Syria

36°06′32″N 36°33′13″E / 36.10889°N 36.55361°E / 36.10889; 36.55361[a]
Planned by Iran
TargetHeadquarters of Israel's Mossad in Iraq and terrorist strongholds in Syria (Iranian claim, rejected by Iraq)
Date15 January 2024 (2024-01-15)
11:36 p.m. (UTC+03:00)[3]
Executed byIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Casualties4 civilians killed
17 civilians injured

On 15 January 2024, Iran carried out a series of aerial and drone strikes within Iraq and Syria, claiming that it had targeted the regional headquarters of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and several strongholds of terrorist groups in response to the Kerman bombings on 3 January, for which the Islamic State took responsibility.[4][5] The city of Erbil, which is the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region, was the target of 11 of the 15 total missiles that were fired. The remaining four missiles were directed at Syria's Idlib Governorate, targeting areas held by the Syrian opposition.[6][7] In Erbil itself, the Iranian attack killed four civilians and injured 17 others.[8] Iran's claims of having targeted the Israeli presence in Kurdistan and terrorist groups in Syria were rejected by the Iraqi government and the autonomous Kurdish government, both of which condemned the attack.[9]

Background

On 3 January 2024, a commemorative ceremony marking the assassination of Qasem Soleimani at his grave in Kerman, Iran, was attacked by two bomb explosions. The attacks killed at least 94 people, and injured 284 others. The Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attacks.[10] Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, pledged a "hard response" to the attack and declared that those responsible "will be the definite target of repression and just punishment from now on".[11]

Attacks

Iraqi Kurdistan

The attack in Erbil targeted the residence of Peshraw Dizayee, the CEO of Empire World, a real estate development company,[3] killing him along with his daughter, their housekeeper, and businessman Karam Mikhail.[1] Erbil International Airport was temporarily closed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) quickly took responsibility.[12] In addition, coalition forces shot down three drones near the airport.[13] Tasnim News Agency revealed that four ballistic missiles launched from Kermanshah province and seven others fired from West Azarbaijan province were used during the attack,[4][14] during which Fateh-110 missiles were reportedly used.[15]

Syria

The IRGC claimed it also struck Islamic State forces in northwestern Syria with four missiles, specifically targeting the perpetrators of the 2024 Kerman bombings on 3 January.[16][17] Tasnim News Agency reported that the IRGC Aerospace Forces launched four Kheibar Shekan ballistic missiles from Darkhoveyn District in Khuzestan province at midnight, traveling a distance of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) to hit targets near Taltita in Idlib Governorate.[2][4] These claims were doubted, as Islamic State has no presence in the region aside from an unconfirmed number of covert cells.[18]

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Iran was unlikely to have conducted its attack in Syria using medium-range ballistic missiles given on the limited scale of damage. Instead, the observatory stated that the attack was likely carried out by Iranian-backed groups situated in Aleppo Governorate in Syria, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the impact zone.[19]

Aftermath

Main article: 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Pakistan

A day after the attack in Iraq and Syria, Iran carried out a similar series of missile strikes in Pakistan, claiming that it had targeted Jaish ul-Adl, a Baloch militant group that had claimed responsibility for the 2019 Khash–Zahedan suicide bombing in Iran.[20][21] These strikes were condemned by the Pakistani government, which expelled the Iranian ambassador from Islamabad and stated that the strikes had killed two children in Balochistan, subsequently vowing to respond to Iran's violation of Pakistani airspace.[22]

Reactions

Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan

An Iraqi government source said that it was not informed in advance of the attack and that an emergency meeting would be held. He described the attack as a flagrant violation of the Iranian-Iraqi agreement. Moreover, the Kurdistan Region called on the Iraqi government and the international community not to remain silent regarding the attack on Erbil.[23] Following the attack, Iraq recalled its ambassador in Tehran for consultations and summoned the Iranian chargé d’affaires in Baghdad.[24][25]

Iran

The IRGC said that the attack was a response to the Israeli assassination of "resistance elements".[26]

Other countries

The attacks were condemned by the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and the Netherlands.[27] Pope Francis condemned the attacks, stating "good relations between neighbors are not built with such actions, but with dialogue and cooperation".[28]

International organizations

NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg denounced the attack on Erbil during a conversation with Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.[29]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Per Rudaw[1] and White Helmets[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Faidhi Dri, Karwan (17 January 2024). "Who was the Kurdish businessman killed by Iranian missiles in Erbil?". Rudaw. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Targets hit by Iran in Syria". Enab Baladi. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b "IRGC strikes 'spy headquarters' in Erbil with ballistic missiles". Rudaw Media Network. 15 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "General Gives Details of IRGC Missile Attacks on Mossad, Daesh Targets". Tasnim News Agency. 16 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Iran's Guards attack Israel's 'espionage centers' in Iraq, state media says". Reuters. 16 January 2024.
  6. ^ Malekian, Somayeh; Shalvey, Kevin (16 January 2024). "US condemns Iran for missile strikes in Iraq and Syria". ABC News. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  7. ^ Katy, Bader (15 January 2024). "Explosions reported near US Consulate in Iraq; Iran claims responsibility". ABC News.
  8. ^ Bechocha, Julian (16 January 2024). "IRGC claims deadly ballistic missile strikes on Erbil". Rudaw. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Iran's attack on Erbil triggers Iraqi anger, widespread condemnation". Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Iran's Revolutionary Guard attacks 'anti-Iranian' groups in Iraq's Erbil". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  11. ^ Leader of the Revolution: Criminals should know that from now on they will be the target of repression and fair punishment Archived 4 January 2024 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ "IRGC attack US consulate in Iraq as tensions between the US, Iran rise". The Jerusalem Post. 15 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Explosions reported near US Consulate in Iraq; Iran claims responsibility". ABC News. 16 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Iran's IRGC says it hit alleged Mossad, ISIS targets in Iraq, Syria with 24 missiles". Al Arabiya. 16 January 2024. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Iran Strikes Israeli "Spy Headquarters" In Iraq As Regional Tensions Mount". NDTV. 16 January 2024.
  16. ^ Bechocha, Julian (16 January 2024). "IRGC claims deadly ballistic missile strikes on Erbil". Rudaw Media Network. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Iran's Revolutionary Guard attacks 'anti-Iranian' groups in Iraq's Erbil". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Containing Transnational Jihadists in Syria's North West". www.crisisgroup.org. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Iran's ballistic missiles on Syrian territory…media messages from America and Western intelligence". SOHR. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  20. ^ Shahid, Saleem (17 January 2024). "Iran 'attacks militant bases in Panjgur'". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  21. ^ Borger, Julian (17 January 2024). "Iran strikes 'militant bases' in Pakistan in latest Middle East flashpoint". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  22. ^ "Iran attacks alleged militant bases in Pakistan; Islamabad says 'unprovoked' strikes kill 2 children". AP News. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Iranian Missile Strike in Erbil Claims Life of Prominent Businessman, Escalates Middle East Tensions". BNN Breaking. 15 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Iraq recalls ambassador, summons Iran's chargé d'affaires over strikes in Irbil". Associated Press. 16 January 2024.
  25. ^ Wintour, Patrick (16 January 2024). "Iraq vows to take Iran to UN after attack on Israeli 'spy base". The Guardian.
  26. ^ حمله شدید موشکی سپاه به اربیل عراق و سوریه+ فیلم/ سپاه 3 اطلاعیه مهم صادر کرد [IRGC's heavy missile attack on Erbil, Iraq and Syria + video/IRGC issued 3 important announcements]. tabnak.ir (in Persian). 15 January 2024.
  27. ^ "Global Outcry Erupts Over Iran's Missile Strike On Erbil". Iran International. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Pope condemns missile strikes on Iraqi Kurdistan". www.vaticannews.va. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  29. ^ "NATO chief condemns Iran's missile strikes towards Iraq's Erbil".
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