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Explosive Drone Hits Gas Field in Northern Iraq

Emergency teams at a building damaged after missiles target Erbil, Iraq, January 16, 2024 (AFP)
Emergency teams at a building damaged after missiles target Erbil, Iraq, January 16, 2024 (AFP)
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Explosive Drone Hits Gas Field in Northern Iraq

Emergency teams at a building damaged after missiles target Erbil, Iraq, January 16, 2024 (AFP)
Emergency teams at a building damaged after missiles target Erbil, Iraq, January 16, 2024 (AFP)

An explosive drone struck Khor Mor gas field in the Sulaimaniya region of northern Iraq on Thursday, two sources told Reuters, saying the explosion had caused limited damage but no one had been injured.

Earlier, the Kurdish Rudaw media network said the counterterrorism apparatuses in the Kurdistan Region shot down and destroyed a suicide drone targeting the US-led coalition forces near Erbil International Airport.

The media network did not immediately provide details but reported that a loud sound was heard in the vicinity of Erbil.

Last Wednesday, the Iraqi Al-Nujaba TV said a drone targeted US forces at the Erbil airport base.

Since Israel's war in Gaza began in October, Iraq has witnessed near-daily drone and rocket attacks by Iraqi armed groups mostly on bases housing troops belonging to the US-led military coalition in response to Washington’s support for Israel.

Also, in mid-January, Iran fired 11 ballistic missiles at civilian targets in Erbil, killing a prominent Iraqi businessman and two members of his family and wounding several others. It claimed the missiles targeted spying facilities run by the Israeli Mossad.

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UNIFIL Urges Timely Israeli Pullout from South Lebanon under Month-Old Truce Deal

Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
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UNIFIL Urges Timely Israeli Pullout from South Lebanon under Month-Old Truce Deal

Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon on December 23, 2024, under a delicate ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) called on Thursday for a timely Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, citing what it called Israeli violations of a Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement with Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a US-brokered 60-day ceasefire that calls for a phased Israeli military pullout after more than a year of war, in keeping with a 2006 UN Security Council resolution that ended their last major conflict.

Under the agreement, Hezbollah fighters must leave positions in south Lebanon and move north of the Litani River, which runs about 20 miles (30 km) north of the border with Israel, along with a full Israeli withdrawal from the south.

In a statement, UNIFIL voiced concern over what it said was continued destruction by Israeli forces of residential areas, farmland and infrastructure in south Lebanon, deeming this a violation of UN Resolution 1701.

"UNIFIL continues to urge the timely withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (in place of Hezbollah) in southern Lebanon, alongside the full implementation of Resolution 1701 as a comprehensive path toward peace," the statement said.

The Israeli military said it was looking into UNIFIL's criticism and declined further comment for the time being.

Under the terms of its truce with Hezbollah, Israeli forces can take up to 60 days to withdraw from south Lebanon but neither side can launch offensive operations.

Lebanon's army said it was following up with UNIFIL and the committee supervising the agreement regarding what it said was a deepened incursion of Israeli forces into some areas of southern Lebanese areas.

UNIFIL reiterated readiness to monitor the area south of the Litani River to ensure it remains free of armed personnel and weapons, except those of Lebanon's government and UNIFIL.

The ceasefire marked the end of the deadliest confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah since their six-week war in 2006. However, Israel has continued military operations against Palestinian fighters in Gaza.