Shafaq News
Since February
28, 2026, when a US-Israeli military campaign against Iran began, Iraq has
become one of the most active fronts in the resulting regional confrontation.
Strikes, drone attacks, and rocket barrages have hit targets across Federal
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, drawing in state-sanctioned armed factions, US and
Western military installations, energy infrastructure, diplomatic facilities,
and civilian landmarks.
Iraqi
authorities have confirmed at least 108 people killed since the escalation
began, among them civilians, PMF members, Iraqi Army soldiers, and Kurdish
Peshmerga fighters. Responsibility for individual incidents is confirmed in
some cases, contested in others, and entirely unclaimed in several. What
follows is a systematic account of what has been struck, by whom, and what is
known.
Read more: US-Iran war threatens Iraq’s fragile stability
Popular
Mobilization Forces
The Popular
Mobilization Forces (PMF), a state-sanctioned umbrella of predominantly Shiite
armed factions formally integrated into the Iraqi state security structure,
have sustained some of the heaviest losses since the escalation began.
The deadliest
confirmed strike hit a PMF position at Habbaniyah Base in Al-Anbar province,
killing Al-Anbar operations commander Saad Dawi and 14 fighters. Total casualty
figures from the incident reached as high as 30, though that number remains
unconfirmed. The strike formed part of a broader pattern of precision attacks
on PMF positions in Baghdad, Babil, Diyala, and Saladin provinces, with
multiple hits on storage sites, command points, and logistics routes. Secondary
explosions at several sites were consistent with the detonation of weapons
stockpiles, according to accounts from security sources and faction-affiliated
outlets.
Hadi Al-Amiri,
head of the Badr Organization — one of the PMF’s most prominent constituent
factions —placed the total number of PMF members killed or wounded at more than
160 since February 28. No party has claimed responsibility for the strikes on
PMF positions. PMF-affiliated factions have attributed them to the United
States and Israel, framing them within the broader Iran conflict. Neither
Washington nor Tel Aviv has confirmed involvement.
US Military and
Diplomatic Installations
American
facilities in Baghdad have faced sustained targeting throughout the escalation.
The Diplomatic Support Center at the base near Baghdad International Airport
—formerly known as Victoria Base— and the US Embassy compound in the Green Zone
have been repeatedly struck by rockets and one-way attack drones. Air defense
systems intercepted incoming projectiles in several incidents; in others,
strikes landed within or near facility perimeters, causing damage and
triggering lockdowns and movement restrictions, according to security sources
who spoke to Shafaq News.
In the
Kurdistan Region, US military facilities in Erbil and Al-Sulaymaniyah provinces
—including areas near Erbil International Airport and Harir Base, both of which
host American troops— have been struck by drones and, in some cases, rockets.
The Islamic
Resistance in Iraq (IRI) —an umbrella network of Iran-backed Shiite armed
factions— has claimed primary responsibility for these operations. Since
February 28, IRI-affiliated factions have claimed nearly 450 attacks targeting
US military facilities across Iraq and the wider region. Groups operating under
the IRI banner, including Kataib Hezbollah, Saraya Awliyaa Al-Dam, and Harakat
Al-Nujaba, have released statements through affiliated channels presenting the
operations as a sustained campaign linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Saraya Awliyaa
Al-Dam alone claimed 136 operations over a 22-day period, including 31 in
Baghdad and 55 in the Kurdistan Region, according to statements from the group.
The group additionally cited operations in Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and
Jordan.
US officials
have attributed the attacks broadly to Iran-backed armed groups without
consistently naming specific factions, and have warned of potential responses
if targeting of US personnel and installations continues. Most incidents did
not result in confirmed American casualties, though material damage and
elevated alert levels have been documented across US facilities.
Read more: Iraq’s air defense void: How US vetoes, and Russian limits leave Baghdad exposed
Peshmerga
Headquarters
The most
serious single incident in the Region involved ballistic missile strikes on
Peshmerga positions in Soran, Erbil province, causing 36 casualties, including
six deaths, according to the Kurdish Security Forces. The strikes damaged
fortified positions, storage sites, and logistical nodes.
Kurdistan
Region President Nechirvan Barzani subsequently stated that Iranian officials
had acknowledged the Soran strikes as a mistake, expressed regret, and pledged
an investigation. The Kurdistan Regional Government said it was awaiting the
outcome of the inquiry.
A separate
facility in Iraqi Kurdistan housing a joint Peshmerga-French forces in the
Makhmour area was attacked on March 12, killing one French soldier. France
confirmed both the attack and the fatality.
Read more: Drone incidents reported across 14 Iraqi provinces in latest escalation
Iranian Kurdish
Opposition Groups
Facilities belonging
to Iranian Kurdish opposition parties based in the Kurdistan Region have also
been struck. Sites related to the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI),
the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), and the Komala Party were targeted in Erbil
and Al-Sulaymaniyah provinces, including in Koya. The strikes hit command
centers, residential compounds, and training facilities, causing extensive
structural damage and fires at several locations.
The targeted
groups accused Iran of carrying out the attacks, describing them as part of an
effort to suppress opposition activity operating from Iraqi territory. The
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) —Iran’s elite military force—claimed
responsibility for the strikes, stating it had targeted sites linked to what it
described as hostile groups allegedly preparing cross-border operations.
The groups did
not officially disclose fatality or injury figures.
Read more: Iraq’s neutrality fades: Formal war involvement draws closer?
Civilian and
Symbolic Targets
The regional
escalation has extended beyond military and paramilitary sites to targets with
civilian, symbolic, and diplomatic significance.
A hotel in
Erbil was struck by drones, with some reports indicating American soldiers were
present at the facility at the time of the attack, according to sources who
spoke to Reuters. The hotel’s name was not confirmed.
Al-Rasheed
Hotel in Baghdad —located inside the Green Zone and a frequent lodging point
for foreign diplomats and media— was struck by a drone on March 16. Iraqi
authorities confirmed the attack and stated there were no casualties.
The former
United Nations headquarters in Baghdad was also targeted by drone attacks
during the escalation period. No additional details on casualties or damage
have been confirmed.
The UAE
Consulate General in Erbil has been a recurring target since February 28. Both
the UAE and Iraqi authorities have confirmed the attacks. No party has claimed
responsibility.
Infrastructure
and Maritime Targets
Baiji Refinery
—Iraq’s largest oil refinery, located in Saladin province— and the Kani
Qirzhala Warehouse were targeted during the escalation, according to sources
who spoke to Shafaq News. Casualty figures, damage assessments, and the
specific dates of both incidents remain unconfirmed.
Two oil tankers
were sabotaged near Iraqi waters off Basra in March 2026— one of them
Maltese-flagged— in attacks using drones or explosive boats. One foreign crew
member was killed, and 38 others were rescued, according to security officials
at the Iraqi port. No party has claimed responsibility for the maritime
attacks.
Erbil’s energy
infrastructure was also targeted with a barrage of drones. No casualty figures
were immediately confirmed from that incident.
Scope of the
Escalation
The incidents
represent a partial picture of an ongoing and still-expanding confrontation.
Iraqi health authorities place the confirmed death toll at a minimum of 108
across all categories —civilians, PMF members, Iraqi Army soldiers, and
Peshmerga fighters. Hundreds of additional claimed attacks remain unverified,
and casualty figures in several incidents are subject to further confirmation.
Written and
edited by Shafaq News staff.
