IRBIL: Iraqi air defenses shot down a drone near the US consulate in the Kurdistan Region capital of Irbil on Saturday, security sources told Reuters.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions across Iraq and the wider Middle East following weeks of confrontation between the United States and Iran.
Iraqi authorities remain on alert over the risk of attacks by Iran-aligned armed groups targeting US diplomatic facilities and military installations.
Irbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, has repeatedly been targeted in recent months because it hosts a US consulate and coalition forces.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has previously launched missile and drone attacks on the city, claiming to target Israeli intelligence sites, while Iran-backed militias have also been blamed for rocket and drone strikes against locations hosting US personnel.
* With Reuters
