Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) carried out ballistic missile attacks on several locations in Iraqi Kurdistan, rebel-held regions of Syria, and in Pakistan on January 15 and 16, Iranian media reported.
The IRGC claimed at least three Mossad bases were targeted near Erbil on Monday, January 15. It claimed that the attacks targeted actors responsible for terrorist attacks in Iran earlier this month and an Israeli spy center near Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan responsible for plotting attacks all across the region.
At least four people were killed and six others were wounded in the IRGC attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan, according to the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) statement quoted by Rudaw.
“In response to the recent evil acts of the Zionist regime in martrying IRGC and resistance commanders,” the IRGC “targeted and destroyed one of the main headquarters of Israel’s spying agency Mossad in Iraq’s Kurdistan region by firing ballistic missiles,” one of the statements issued by IRGC stated.
At least three IRGC officials, including a top commander Sayyed Razi Mousavi, were killed in different airstrikes carried out by Israel in Syria in December. An Israeli drone was involved in the assassination of top Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut in December too.
Israeli assassination of IRGC commanders in Syria has been linked to its war against Palestinians in Gaza in which over 24,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7. Israel has accused Iran of aiding the Palestinian resistance forces.
The IRGC claimed in a statement that the Mossad center was used “to develop espionage operations and plan acts of terrorism” across the region, especially in Iran.
IRNA confirmed that eight points were targeted by the IRGC missiles in the vicinity of Erbil, capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. It also reported that at least three drones were shot down near the Erbil airport. This led to authorities suspending flight operations.
Two other statements issued by the IRGC confirmed that its ballistic missiles targeted Islamic State locations in rebel controlled areas of Syria in response to their attacks earlier this month in Iran.
IS had taken the responsibility for the terrorist attack on Kerman in which over 100 people were killed. The twin attacks had targeted a massive gathering on the occasion of the death anniversary of former commander of IRGC Qassem Soleimani.
Soleimani was killed in a US drone attack in Baghdad on January 3, 2020. Every year since then, thousands of Iranians gather at his grave in Kerman to pay homage to the commander who is considered a martyr.
Iran carried out attacks at two locations in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Tuesday against the Jaish al-Adl group, which had taken responsibility for an attack on a police station in Rask in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province killing nearly a dozen people in December.
Jaish al-Adl has also claimed several attacks against Iranian civilians and security forces in the past.
KRSC denied Iranian allegations about the presence of an Israeli spy center in Erbil and called the Iranian attacks a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. The Iranian attacks were also condemned by the Iraqi government which also called it a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Iran has long alleged that Iraqi Kurdistan has been used as a base by the Israeli spy agency to carry out attacks inside the country including the targeted assassination of Iranian scientists. It had carried out similar missile attacks inside the region in the past against alleged Mossad assets.
Pakistan also condemned the attacks on Tuesday calling it completely unacceptable. Its caretaker government said that it had called the Iranian ambassador for explanation claiming that at least two children were killed in the attack.
