Wave of Explosive Drone Attacks Hits Northern Iraq Oil Fields Amid Rising Tensions
A series of explosive-laden drone strikes targeted multiple oil installations across Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region early Wednesday, escalating a wave of unclaimed attacks that have disrupted operations at five oil fields within just one week.
According to the Kurdistan Region’s Counterterrorism Services, two drones struck the Peshkabir oil field, operated by Norwegian energy company DNO, at 6:00 and 6:15 a.m. local time (0300 and 0315 GMT) in the Zakho district near the Turkish border. A third drone hit DNO’s Tawke field nearby at 7:00 a.m. (0400 GMT), causing material damage but no casualties.
Just minutes later, at 7:14 a.m. (0414 GMT), another drone targeted a facility run by U.S.-based Hunt Oil in Duhok province, though officials reported no physical damage or injuries.
The attacks follow a similar strike on Tuesday that forced U.S. company HKN Energy to halt operations at the Sarsang field in Duhok. On Monday, drones were also launched at the Khurmala oil field and near Erbil International Airport, intensifying concerns over the region’s security.
Though no group has claimed responsibility, the pattern of the attacks mirrors those often attributed to Iranian-backed groups operating in the region—part of a broader proxy conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
The drone strikes come at a particularly volatile moment. Tensions between Baghdad and Erbil remain high over oil revenue sharing and the suspension of the Kurdistan-Turkey pipeline since 2023 due to legal and technical disputes.
The pipeline shutdown has significantly curtailed the region’s ability to export oil, deepening economic pressures.
Despite branding itself as a stable and investment-friendly enclave within Iraq, the Kurdistan Region’s security image is now under renewed scrutiny, especially with international energy companies increasingly caught in the crosshairs of regional power struggles.
As of now, none of the affected firms have reported casualties, and the material damage remains under assessment. The Kurdistan Regional Government has yet to issue a detailed response.
