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Italian base in Iraqi Kurdistan attacked as Iran war expands in West Asia

Italian base in Iraqi Kurdistan attacked as Iran war expands in West Asia

Smoke rises after an explosion near Erbil International Airport in Erbil on March 6, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)

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Italy said its military base in Erbil, Iraq, was attacked amid the West Asia war. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed no injuries, adding that all Italian soldiers were safe after taking shelter in bunkers.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday (Mar 12) said that an Italian base in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil was “attacked” amid the ongoing war in West Asia. He added that all their soldiers were “well and safe” and took shelter in the bunker. No injuries were reported.

“I strongly condemn the attack on the Italian base in Erbil,” Tajani said on X, without giving details. “I just spoke with the Italian ambassador to Iraq. Fortunately, all our soldiers are well and safe in the bunker,” he said.

Italy has soldiers in Erbil training the Kurdistan security forces as part of an international coalition force.

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AFP reported, citing a Kurdish security source, that drones were intercepted on Wednesday (Mar 11) over Erbil by the US-led international forces, which are based at Erbil airport. No casualties were reported. Blasts were reported near the airport as air defences engaged drones.

On February 28, the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program. In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Azerbaijan.

In a recent declaration, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Mar 11) claimed victory in the war with Iran, without providing any evidence to support his remarks. “Let me say we’ve won. You know, you never like to say too early that you won. We won. We won, in the first hour it was over, but we won,” he said.

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On the other hand, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday (Mar 12) has set three conditions to end the raging war. In a first statement on ending war, Pezeshkian said, “The only way to end this war—ignited by the Zionist regime & US—is recognizing Iran’s legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm int’l guarantees against future aggression.”

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

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Prajvi Mathur

Prajvi Mathur is a Sub-Editor at WION with over 2 years of experience in journalism and digital content. With a keen interest in geopolitics and national affairs, she covers a wide...Read More