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Iranian diplomacy portrayed these missile launches as a “targeted operation” in retaliation for the deaths of a general and several Tehran-allied commanders. Baghdad says a civilian's home was attacked.
Published on January 16, 2024 6:26 p.m
Reading time: 4 minutes
Firefighters and security force members in the rubble of a rocket-hit building in Erbil, capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, January 16, 2024. (KURDISTAN 24 / AFP)
The city of Erbil was hit by ballistic missiles on the night of Monday, January 15th to Tuesday, January 16th. At least “four civilians” were killed and six others injured in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan in these attacks, claimed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to a press release from local authorities in that autonomous region. Iraq immediately condemned this offensive by its neighbor as “aggression”. Franceinfo summarizes what we know about these bombings in an explosive regional context.
Iran claims it is targeting Israeli “spies”.
Iran's official IRNA news agency said the Revolutionary Guards, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, had carried out an attack on the outskirts of Erbil. According to her, ballistic missiles destroyed “a headquarters” where “spies” from the Israeli secret service Mossad were located. The Jewish state did not immediately respond to these allegations.
According to the official Iranian agency, this attack is in retaliation for recent attacks that Iran attributes to Israel. These offensives killed several Revolutionary Guard commanders and leaders of the “Axis of Resistance,” as Tehran’s allies in the fight against the Jewish state were known.
At the end of December, Tehran accused Israel of eliminating General Razi Mousavi in Syria. On January 2, an attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut killed Hamas number two, Saleh al-Arouri, and six other leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement. A few days later, Wissam Tawil, a senior Hezbollah military official, was attacked in Lebanon.
Iranian diplomacy portrayed these attacks as “a targeted operation.” “The Islamic Republic has always supported peace, stability and security in the region and adheres to the principles of respect for the sovereignty and integrity of countries, but does not hesitate to violate the legitimate “To use the right to defend the security of their citizens.” Punish criminals,” said a Foreign Ministry spokesman.
Iran expert and researcher Thierry Coville notes that “Iranian authorities are under pressure,” particularly since the January 3 attack that killed 84 people in Kerman, in the south of the country. Tehran had promised a strong response. According to him, the Iranian government, which is facing a domestic political crisis, reacted “quite quickly” on this occasion and because security is its “strength”.
Iraq denounces “aggression” and “false” accusations
Baghdad immediately condemned “an aggression aimed at the sovereignty of Iraq and the security of its people.” In response to Iran's accusations, Iraqi authorities ordered the formation of an investigative commission to prove “the falsity of the accusations of those responsible for these reprehensible acts.”
“As for the presence of an Israeli Mossad headquarters, we inspected the place and visited every corner of the house. “Everything indicates that it is the family home of an Iraqi businessman,” assured Qassem al-Aaraji, the Iraqi national security adviser in charge of the investigation into this Iranian attack. “These allegations are false and false.”
According to Iraqi authorities, Peshraw Dizayee's home was attacked. The deceased victims include the real estate tycoon, who also runs a business in the hydrocarbon and private security sectors, as well as his wife and other family members.
France condemns “unacceptable” strikes
Through Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, Washington immediately condemned “a series of reckless and imprecise attacks.” The US State Department also stressed that the United States “opposes” these “irresponsible attacks” that “undermine the stability of Iraq.”
France also “strongly condemned” the attacks on Erbil, calling them “inadmissible violations” of Iraq’s sovereignty, according to a Foreign Ministry press release. “Such acts contribute to the escalation of regional tensions and must stop,” French diplomacy added.
The same applies to London. “The United Kingdom condemns the Iranian regime’s attacks in Erbil,” wrote David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary. on the social network (Ex-Twitter). These unprovoked and unjustified actions constitute an unacceptable violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani castigated “unjustified and illegal attacks” and called on the international community “not to remain silent,” according to his services. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also asked Iran's chargé d'affaires to hand over a “letter of protest” and recalled its ambassador to Iran “for consultations.”