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Iraq Condemns Turkish Attack on Sulaymaniyah Airport

The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)
The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)
    Baghdad, Qamishli - Fadhel al-Nashmi, Kamal Sheikho
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Iraq Condemns Turkish Attack on Sulaymaniyah Airport

The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)
The Sulaymaniyah International Airport (INA)

Iraq demanded an apology from Turkiye over the drone attack that targeted the Sulaymaniyah International Airport on Friday in the Kurdistan region of Iraq without causing any casualties.

President Abdul Latif Rashid condemned the blatant Turkish attacks on Iraq and its sovereignty, saying: "Turkish military operations are repeated in the Kurdistan region, the latest of which was the bombing of the Sulaymaniyah civilian airport."

The presidency issued a statement affirming there was "no legal justification" that authorizes the Turkish forces to continue "terrorizing peaceful civilians under the pretext that hostile forces are in Iraq."

"In this regard, we call on the Turkish government to take responsibility and issue an official apology," the statement said.

In an unusual statement, the First Lady of Iraq, Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, strongly condemned Turkiye, accusing it of terrorism.

In a press conference in Sulaymaniyah, Ahmed accused "Turkish terrorism" of targeting citizens with drones and terrorist tools.

She warned that the "Turkish terrorist act" on the international airport affected the sovereignty of Iraq and Sulaymaniyah.

The leader of the Shiite Coordination Framework and the head of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, called on Turkiye to stop its attacks on Iraqi territory.

Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi also said the attack proved "the scale of foreign interference in Iraq."

The National Security Adviser, Qassem al-Araji, arrived in Sulaymaniyah at the head of a high-ranking security delegation under the direction of Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani.

Sources in the Turkish Defense Ministry denied any involvement in Friday's attack.

The sources told AFP that "Turkish armed forces undertook no such activity."

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) denied that the strike was intended to target its commander-in-chief, Mazloum Abdi, who was at the airport with members of the US forces at the time of the attack.

However, Abdi condemned the attack, saying these violations continue in Iraq and Syria and have serious dimensions against the region.

He accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of standing behind the attack, looking for a "free victory" ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and aiming to create chaos.

Meanwhile, the sharp division between the two main Kurdish parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), resurfaced with the attack.

The two parties exchanged accusations over the incident a few days after Turkiye banned transit flights over its territory to Sulaymaniyah Airport.

The vice president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, issued a scathing attack against the spokesman for the regional government, which the KDP primarily controls.

Talabani, a member of the PUK, indicated that Jotiar Adil is not a spokesman for the regional government but instead "represents only one party ... and cannot speak for the entire government."

Talabani also "strongly" condemned the attack on Sulaymaniyah Airport and considered it a dangerous escalation against the civilians.

Earlier, Adil asserted in a statement that the Regional Government is concerned about the situation in all parts of the region and is doing its best to eliminate the effects of the two administrations and serve all the citizens without obstacles or discrimination.

He accused the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan of obstructing the government and its institutions, saying that instead of helping and resolving issues through official channels, Talabani disavows responsibility and is not committed to his tenure as deputy prime minister.

For his part, the governor of Sulaymaniyah, Haval Abubakir, confirmed there were no casualties due to the air strike, calling on all political parties to "end their differences and not make Kurdistan a victim of their disputes."

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Arab World

Israel Tells Washington It Is Ready to Join War Against Iran Immediately

US Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper visits Israel on Sunday at the invitation of Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to strengthen military coordination and the defense partnership between the two sides. (Israeli military/X)
US Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper visits Israel on Sunday at the invitation of Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to strengthen military coordination and the defense partnership between the two sides. (Israeli military/X)
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Israel Tells Washington It Is Ready to Join War Against Iran Immediately

US Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper visits Israel on Sunday at the invitation of Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to strengthen military coordination and the defense partnership between the two sides. (Israeli military/X)
US Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper visits Israel on Sunday at the invitation of Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to strengthen military coordination and the defense partnership between the two sides. (Israeli military/X)

A military spokesperson in Tel Aviv said on Wednesday that the Israeli army was on high alert and ready to join the war alongside the US military against Iran as soon as it received orders from the government.

The Walla news site said the preparations had been in place since the first day of the ceasefire because Israel did not trust Iranian promises and viewed them as mere maneuvers.

“The Iranian leadership, intoxicated by an imagined victory, is not making the responsible calculations required of any government before going to war. It is acting arrogantly, as though it won the war, and is trying to blackmail the United States,” if added, noting that Israel had expected US President Donald Trump’s patience with Tehran to run out.

Walla also said the Israeli army had remained in close contact with US Central Command, or CENTCOM, to discuss what it described as the high likelihood of a resumption of the war, review the experience of the two previous wars in June 2025 and February 2026, and draw lessons from them to improve performance and prepare a new target bank for a third war that Israel sees as inevitable.

The most recent coordination meeting between the two commands was held at the end of last week in preparation for a scenario in which the confrontations resume.

Iranian actions had topped the agenda of a visit that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had been scheduled to make on Wednesday before canceling it at the last minute, causing significant embarrassment in Tel Aviv. A senior political source close to Netanyahu said Hegseth had been due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his counterpart, Defense Minister Israel Katz.

According to the sources, one of the aims of the visit was to calm Israeli concerns over the possible sale of advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Türkiye. Israel is deeply concerned by the move, and some officials have begun mobilizing pressure in Congress to block its approval.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, Israeli security agencies warn that Türkiye’s possession of advanced US stealth fighter jets, namely the F-35, could harm what Tel Aviv describes as the Israeli air force’s “qualitative edge” in the Middle East and restrict its ability to operate in arenas Israel considers central, including Iran, Syria, Lebanon and the wider eastern Mediterranean.

In an interview with CNN, Netanyahu said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was “not exactly a model ally of the United States,” adding that he “threatens to destroy my country, the only Jewish state,” according to Netanyahu. Israel is currently the only country in the Middle East operating F-35 aircraft, the most advanced fighter jet in the US arsenal.

A report by Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday said friction between Israel and Türkiye was no longer limited to political or rhetorical disputes and now extended to four main arenas of concern to Israel’s security establishment.

The first arena is the negotiations with Iran, where Israel views Türkiye’s role as an attempt to prevent Tehran’s defeat in a way that would lead to wider Israeli dominance in the region.

The second arena relates to the Gaza Strip. The report points to Türkiye’s support for Hamas and claims that an arm of the movement operates from inside Türkiye and manages activities against Israel from there.

The third arena is Syria, where Israel is concerned by Turkish efforts to expand its influence after the changes the country has undergone.

According to Channel 12, the Israeli air force is working to prevent the consolidation of a Turkish foothold in Syria, including through repeated strikes on the T4 base. Israel is also seeking to prevent Ankara from arming the Syrian army with drones and air defense systems.

The fourth arena, which the report says is taking shape, is the eastern Mediterranean maritime front. Israel fears an expanding Turkish presence in an area Tel Aviv views as vital to its military and economic activity and to its relations with Greece and Cyprus.

According to the report, Türkiye is already developing advanced military industries, including defense systems and ballistic missiles, and is seeking to build its own stealth fighter, called Kaan.

But the project faces major difficulties, particularly over engines, as Türkiye does not yet have the independent capacity to develop an engine suitable for this type of aircraft, prompting it to request US-made F110 engines.

But the violation of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran has pushed this issue into the background, even for Israel.

It prefers to focus on what it has in common with the Americans, not on what divides it from them.

While Iran considered Israel’s continued military operations in Lebanon a violation of the US-Iranian agreement, Israel initiated a larger escalation in Lebanon in recent hours after Trump announced the cancellation of the ceasefire.

According to political sources in Tel Aviv, the escalation was not only a way to vent frustration over the anger caused by the halt to the war, but also a means of dragging the Revolutionary Guards leadership into the war and blowing up the negotiations entirely.

Arab World

Could Qaani’s Brief Appearance Affect Al-Zaidi’s Washington Visit?

A still image taken from a video shows Esmail Qaani, right, believed to be at Najaf airport in Iraq. (Shafaq News)
A still image taken from a video shows Esmail Qaani, right, believed to be at Najaf airport in Iraq. (Shafaq News)
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Could Qaani’s Brief Appearance Affect Al-Zaidi’s Washington Visit?

A still image taken from a video shows Esmail Qaani, right, believed to be at Najaf airport in Iraq. (Shafaq News)
A still image taken from a video shows Esmail Qaani, right, believed to be at Najaf airport in Iraq. (Shafaq News)

The limited appearance of Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force, during the funeral procession for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Wednesday has once again drawn attention to the complex nature of relations between Baghdad and Tehran.

The development comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi prepares to visit Washington later this month, a trip that observers see as a fresh test of his government's ability to balance its relations with the United States and Iran.

Qaani appeared in Iraq in a short video clip that could not be independently verified. The footage, which lasted only a few minutes, showed him beside an Iranian aircraft on the tarmac at Najaf Airport.

The scene was marked by caution and brevity, in contrast to the presence of other Iranian officials at the funeral, including Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, who were seen moving freely around the city.

Observers said the nature of Qaani's appearance may reflect an attempt to maintain a symbolic presence without displaying broad public engagement, given the sensitivity of Baghdad's current political moment.

Iraqi-Iranian tensions

Iraqi sources in recent days raised expectations about al-Zaidi’s planned visit to Washington, while other sources reported tensions at a meeting between him and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during Araghchi’s visit to Baghdad last week.

Other sources said Baghdad had asked Tehran not to send Qaani to the funeral before images emerged showing him alongside other Iranian military officials.

The Iraqi request could not be independently confirmed. But Qaani’s appearance revived debate over the limits of Iranian influence in Iraq, especially as al-Zaidi’s government moves to reorganize internal files that touch on political forces and armed factions historically linked to Tehran.

Asharq al-Awsat previously reported, citing sources, that Iraq’s government had asked Tehran to use diplomatic channels to arrange visits by its officials and avoid secret trips.

Al-Zaidi’s Washington visit comes at a sensitive time.

Baghdad is trying to build a new relationship with the US administration as tensions persist between Washington and Tehran.

The two sides had been engaged in fragile de-escalation talks until those talks stopped and intermittent military strikes resumed.

Iraq now faces the challenge of preserving a delicate balance between the two sides and preventing the country from becoming a battlefield for rival allies.

Al-Zaidi, who came to office amid complex domestic calculations, is facing growing pressure from some parties in the Coordination Framework after his government moved on corruption-related files.

His supporters see the steps as an attempt to restore the authority of state institutions. His opponents see them as a potential shift in the balance of power inside Iraq’s political system.

Parties move to withdraw support

Particular attention is focused on the “Dawn Operation,” which has been linked to security and judicial measures against figures accused of corruption.

An Iraqi politician, who requested anonymity, said the operation had alarmed political parties that believed al-Zaidi’s selection, as a figure not fully aligned with any one side, would help contain disputes inside the Coordination Framework.

The politician told Asharq al-Awsat that the use of Counter-Terrorism Service units, partly trained by US forces, had deepened the sensitivity of the moment.

The service is viewed differently from the Popular Mobilization Forces, which retain ideological and organizational links with political forces and armed factions.

People close to al-Zaidi say the prime minister wants to arrive in Washington with domestic leverage, including what his supporters see as an early success in confronting corruption files.

But opposition from senior figures in the Coordination Framework, at least three of whom have boycotted government-linked meetings, suggests they are moving to withdraw support for the anti-corruption plan.

Iraqi analysts say the Washington visit could become a test of the country’s internal balance of power. Some believe al-Zaidi is trying to avoid a direct clash with forces close to Iran before the trip, while keeping wider options open if he secures US support.

Observers said Qaani’s presence at the funeral, despite the controversy surrounding it, does not necessarily indicate a direct confrontation between Baghdad and Tehran.

But it does signal a more delicate phase in managing relations between the two countries, as Iraq’s government tries to assert the independence of its political decision-making without severing regional ties.

Arab World

Israel Army Says Troops Capture Hezbollah Fighter, Strike Kills 2 in Lebanon

Smoke rises in Lebanon as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, in northern Israel, July 5, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in Lebanon as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, in northern Israel, July 5, 2026. (Reuters)
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Israel Army Says Troops Capture Hezbollah Fighter, Strike Kills 2 in Lebanon

Smoke rises in Lebanon as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, in northern Israel, July 5, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in Lebanon as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, in northern Israel, July 5, 2026. (Reuters)

The Israeli military on Wednesday said its troops had seized a Hezbollah fighter during an encounter in southern Lebanon a day earlier and transferred him to Israel for questioning.

The fighter was captured in the Bint Jbeil area on Tuesday, where Israeli troops clashed with Hezbollah combatants.

"The apprehended terrorist is a member of Hezbollah's Radwan Force ... responsible for carrying out attacks against Israeli soldiers and Israeli civilians throughout the war," the military said in a statement, adding that he had been brought to Israel.

Meanwhile, an Israeli strike on southern Lebanon killed two people on Wednesday, Lebanese state media reported, the latest attack despite a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

"Two young men were martyred after being targeted by an enemy drone... while they were walking in the vicinity of Ghandour Hospital in Nabatieh al-Fawqa," Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said, two days after a strike on the same town killed four civilians including a school principal.

Israel has kept up intermittent strikes on south Lebanon, despite a two-week-old truce, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives.

Both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the wider Middle East war with rocket attacks on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes.

Last month, Israel and Lebanon signed a US-mediated agreement aimed at paving the way for a permanent end to hostilities.

Israeli forces remain deployed in what the military describes as a security zone extending roughly 10 kilometers (six miles) into Lebanese territory.

Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have repeatedly said that forces would remain in the occupied area "as long as necessary" to protect communities in northern Israel.

Lebanese authorities say Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed around 4,300 people.

The Israeli military says it has lost 38 soldiers and a civilian contractor in the fighting in southern Lebanon over the same period.