Iran says Revolutionary Guards attack Israel鈥檚 鈥榮py HQ鈥� in Iraq, vow more revenge

Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps troops march during a military parade in Tehran. (AFP/File)
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  • The attack, for which the Daesh group later claimed responsibility, killed around 90 people and left scores wounded

DUBAI/BAGHDAD: Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guards said they attacked the 鈥渟py headquarters鈥� of Israel in Iraq鈥檚 semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, state media reported late on Monday, while the elite force said they also struck in Syria against Daesh.
The strikes come amid concerns about the escalation of a conflict that has spread through the Middle East since the war between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas began on Oct. 7, with Iran鈥檚 allies also entering the fray from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
鈥淚n response to the recent atrocities of the Zionist regime, causing the killing of commanders of the Guards and the Axis of Resistance ... one of the main Mossad espionage headquarters in Iraq鈥檚 Kurdistan region was destroyed with ballistic missiles,鈥� the Guards said in a statement.
Reuters could not independently verify the report. Israeli government officials were not reachable for immediate comment.
Iraq condemned on Tuesday Iran鈥檚 鈥渁ggression鈥� on Irbil that led to civilian casualties in residential areas, according to a statement by the country鈥檚 foreign ministry.
Iraqi government will take all legal measures against these actions that are considered a violation of Iraq鈥檚 sovereignty and the security of its people, including filing a complaint at the United Nations Security Council, said the statement.
Iran had vowed revenge for the killing of three members of the Guards in Syria last month, including a senior Guards commander, who had served as military advisers there.
Since the Oct. 7 rampage by Hamas fighters into Israeli territory and the ensuing Israeli bombing campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, more than 130 fighters of Lebanon鈥檚 Iran-backed Hezbollah have been killed in hostilities.
鈥淲e assure our nation that the Guards鈥� offensive operations will continue until avenging the last drops of martyrs鈥� blood,鈥� the Guards鈥� statement said.
In addition to the strikes northeast of Kurdistan鈥檚 capital Irbil in a residential area near the US consulate, the Guards said they 鈥渇ired a number of ballistic missiles in Syria and destroyed the perpetrators of terrorist operations鈥� in Iran, including Daesh.
Reuters could not independently verify the report.

US CONDEMNS IRBIL ATTACK AS 鈥楻ECKLESS鈥�
The US State Department condemned the attacks near Irbil, calling them 鈥渞eckless,鈥� but officials said no US facilities were targeted and there were no US casualties.
鈥淲e tracked the missiles, which impacted in Northern Iraq and Northern Syria. No US personnel or facilities were targeted,鈥� Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said in a statement.
鈥淲e will continue to assess the situation, but initial indications are that this was a reckless and imprecise set of strikes,鈥� she said, adding: 鈥淭he United States supports the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Iraq.鈥�
Earlier this month, Daesh claimed responsibility for two explosions in Iran鈥檚 southeastern Kerman city that killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani.
Iran, which supports Hamas in its war with Israel, accuses the United States of backing what it calls Israeli crimes in Gaza. The US has said it backs Israel in its campaign but has raised concerns about the number of Palestinian civilians killed.

鈥機RIME AGAINST KURDISH PEOPLE鈥�
In a statement from his office, Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani condemned the attack on Irbil as a 鈥渃rime against the Kurdish people.鈥�
At least four civilians were killed and six injured in the strikes on Irbil, the Kurdistan government鈥檚 security council said in a statement, describing the attack as a 鈥渃rime.鈥�
Multimillionaire Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee and several members of his family were among the dead, killed when at least one rocket crashed into their home, Iraqi security and medical sources said.
Dizayee, who was close to the ruling Barzani clan, owned businesses that led major real estate projects in Kurdistan.
Additionally, one rocket had fallen on the house of a senior Kurdish intelligence official and another on a Kurdish intelligence center and air traffic at Irbil airport was halted, the security sources said.
Iran has in the past carried out strikes in Iraq鈥檚 northern Kurdistan region, saying the area is used as a staging ground for Iranian separatist groups as well as agents of its arch-foe Israel.
Baghdad has tried to address Iranian concerns over separatist groups in the mountainous border region, moving to relocate some members as part of a security agreement reached with Tehran in 2023.