On the evening of the 15th of January, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a paramilitary army loyal to Iran, claimed responsibility for a series of deadly missile and drone raids on Erbil, the capital city of the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Although the attack was not the first in a series of multiple ones claimed by Iran and its affiliated factions in recent years, it was the deadliest to date as it has claimed the lives of 4 civilians and wounded many others with multiple damages to infrastructure.

The coordinated attack targeted various US and US-affiliated military bases, one consulate, and other organizations and individuals deemed by Iran to be against their interests. 

IRGC claims that it was a response to continuous assassinations and military actions against them by the US and its allies, and their alleged claim that there are ‘Mossad bases’ in Erbil.

This comes after a rapid escalation of conflict in the Middle East, from the Palestinian-Israeli war To the current situation with Iran’s foreign policy. 

In particular, a bombing in Iran which resulted in the death of about 100 civilians led to a more aggressive policy by Iran.