Erbil’s Mount Korek attacked by suspected Iranian drone

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - For the second day in a row, northern Erbil province’s Mount Korek - a key touristic site - has come under suspected Iranian drone attack, a local official told Rudaw.

Footage obtained by Rudaw shows smoke rising from the mountain.

“Both times, the drones fell near the main tower on Mount Korek, and it appears the intended target was the large tower at the summit,” a security official in Khalifan, a town at the foot of the mountain, told Rudaw on the condition of anonymity.

The official said the tower is owned by several telecommunications companies and is also used for weather forecasting.

The attacks did not result in any casualties or material damage.

Rudaw has learned that in both incidents the drones fell short of the tower and were not shot down.

The strikes come amid a major conflict between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, which has engulfed the region and had significant repercussions, including for the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Region - particularly Erbil - has faced numerous drone and missile attacks by Iran and its allied groups in Iraq.

“Around 100 drones and missiles have been used in the attacks,” Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw told Rudaw on Tuesday.

Xoshnaw added that an “advanced” defense system has been deployed, intercepting all incoming projectiles before they could reach their intended targets on the ground.