| 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Iraq and Syria | |
|---|---|
| Part of theKurdish–Iranian conflict, theIran–Israel proxy conflict, and theIranian-led attacks on American troops in Iraq and Syria | |
| Type | Missile and drone attack |
| Locations | Erbil,Kurdistan Region, Iraq 36°18′18″N44°07′56″E / 36.30500°N 44.13222°E /36.30500; 44.13222[a] Taltita,Idlib Governorate, Syria 36°06′32″N36°33′13″E / 36.10889°N 36.55361°E /36.10889; 36.55361[a] |
| Planned by | Iranian government |
| Target | Headquarters of Israel'sMossad in Iraq (Iranian claim, rejected by Iraq and Israel) and terrorist strongholds in Syria |
| Date | 15 January 2024 (2024-01-15) 11:36 p.m. (UTC+03:00)[3] |
| Executed by |  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps |
| Casualties | 4 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 agencyMossad and several strongholds of terrorist groups in response to theKerman bombings on 3 January, for which theIslamic State took responsibility.[4] The city ofErbil, which is the capital of Iraq's autonomousKurdistan Region, was the target of 11 of the 15 total missiles that were fired. The remaining four missiles were directed at Syria'sIdlib Governorate, targeting areas held by theSyrian opposition.[5][6] In Erbil itself, the Iranian attack killed four civilians and injured 17 others.[7] Iran's claims of having targeted theIsraeli 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.[8]
On 3 January 2024 a commemorative ceremony marking the assassination ofQasem Soleimani at his grave inKerman, 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.[9] AyatollahAli 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".[10]
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. TheIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) quickly took responsibility.[11] In addition,coalition forces shot down three drones near the airport.[12]Tasnim News Agency revealed that four ballistic missiles launched fromKermanshah province and seven others fired fromWest Azarbaijan province were used during the attack,[13] during whichFateh-110 short-range ballistic missiles were reportedly used.[14]
The IRGC claimed it also struck Islamic State forces in northwestern Syria with four missiles, specifically targeting the perpetrators of the2024 Kerman bombings on 3 January.[15][9] Tasnim News Agency reported that theIRGC Aerospace Force launched fourKheibar Shekan medium-range ballistic missiles fromDarkhoveyn District in Khuzestan province at midnight, traveling a distance of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) to hit targets nearTaltita in Idlib Governorate.[2]
According to theSyrian Observatory for Human Rights, Iran was unlikely to have conducted its attack in Syria usingmedium-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 inAleppo Governorate in Syria, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the impact zone.[16]
A day after the attack in Iraq and Syria, Iran carried out a similar series of missile strikes in Pakistan, claiming that it had targetedJaish ul-Adl, a Baloch militant group that had claimed responsibility for the2019 Khash–Zahedan suicide bombing in Iran.[17][18] These strikes were condemned by the Pakistani government, which expelled the Iranian ambassador fromIslamabad and stated that the strikes had killed two children inBalochistan, subsequently vowing to respond to Iran's violation of Pakistani airspace.[19]
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, theKurdistan Region called on the Iraqi government and the international community not to remain silent regarding the attack on Erbil.[citation needed] Following the attack, Iraq recalled its ambassador in Tehran for consultations and summoned the Iranian chargé d'affaires in Baghdad.[20][21]
The IRGC said that the attack was a response to the Israeli assassination of "resistance elements".[22]
The attacks were condemned by the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and the Netherlands.[23]Pope Francis condemned the attacks, stating "good relations between neighbors are not built with such actions, but with dialogue and cooperation".[24]
NATO secretary-generalJens Stoltenberg denounced the attack on Erbil during a conversation with Iraqi prime ministerMohammed Shia' Al Sudani during theWorld Economic Forum inDavos, Switzerland.[25] TheArab League and theArab Parliament condemned the attack, calling it an "assault on Arab National security".[26]
