The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched ballistic missiles against foreign ‘espionage centers’ in Iraq near the US Consulate.
In what seems to be a significant uptick from Iran, there have been multiple huge explosions reported overnight (local time) close to the US Consulate in Erbil, Iraq.
The attack with ballistic missiles against foreign “espionage centers” and “anti-Iranian terrorist gatherings in parts of the region” has previously been attributed to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to ABC News, the latest missile attack claimed the lives of four individuals but spared no Americans. Despite numerous early reports claiming it happened close to the US consulate, US officials have informed regional media that no US facilities were affected by the missile attacks in Erbil.
According to a recent article by Bloomberg, Iran has hijacked a US oil tanker named St. Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman.
Israel launched airstrikes against targets connected to Iran outside Aleppo International Airport in northern Syria very shortly before this attack—possibly as soon as five minutes after the Erbil event.
According to Joyce Karam, a regional correspondent, Monday has been particularly noteworthy due to the sheer volume of rapidly increasing occurrences that have occurred. The following has happened since she claimed that the “Middle East is imploding, in one day”:
- Attack on US ship by Yemen Houthis
- US intercepting 2nd attack in Red Sea
- Israel strikes in Gaza [and Syria]
- Stabbing & car ramming near Tel Aviv IRGC attack in Iraq
- IRGC attack in Syria
In response to the twin suicide attacks that occurred in Kerman City, southeast Iran, on January 3, the IRGC carried out an operation in Syria that, according to a statement, struck an ISIS location. The incident that claimed the lives of more than a hundred persons who were attending mourning services honoring Qassem Soleimani’s passing was claimed by ISIS.
The following military actions on Monday, some of which took place throughout the overnight hours of Tuesday, local time, have been acknowledged by the IRGC in its comments released thus far:
- Attack on anti-Iranian terrorist sites (i.e. US military sites) in Iraq’s Erbil
- Attack on ISIS terrorist sites inside Syria
- Attack on Mossad HQ in Kurdistan, Iraq
“Explosions were heard in an area roughly 40 kilometers northeast of Erbil in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, three security sources said, in an area near the U.S. consulate as well as civilian residences,” according to additional details from Reuters about Iran’s strike on northern Iraq.
All of this is a result of the Gaza War, and things could escalate into a larger regional conflict.
Additional footage from the Erbil attack, while it’s yet unconfirmed…