Khaberni - In a field escalation following urgent American warnings to evacuate nationals, suicide drone attacks targeted hotels frequented by foreigners in the heart of the capital, Erbil, opening a new front for Iran-aligned groups.
A drone struck the luxurious "Arjaan Rotana" hotel in the center of Erbil city on Friday evening. Videos showed thick smoke rising from the hotel building and the adjacent residential complex "Sky Towers". Erbil's governor, Omid Khoshnaw, quickly announced the foiling of the attack, confirming in press statements that there were no human casualties as a result of the targeting.
Preemptive warnings
Just minutes before the attack, an exceptional warning was issued by the US Embassy in Baghdad, urging American citizens to leave the Kurdistan region as soon as possible. The embassy explicitly stated in its statement that "terrorist armed groups allied with Iran might seek to target hotels frequented by foreigners in the region."
Claiming the attack and the escalation of hostilities
Following the incident, the group "People of the Cave", an ally of Tehran, claimed responsibility for the attack. These developments coincide with reports circulating in Iraqi circles since the outbreak of the open confrontation between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, suggesting the possibility of direct attacks on facilities and hotels that accommodate Americans in Kurdistan.
On a parallel front, the targeting extended to include the capital Baghdad, where security sources confirmed that four drones targeted the "Victoria" military base near Baghdad International Airport on Friday evening, a base that houses an American diplomatic facility.
