Iraqi parliamentary committee to probe wave of drone attacks on key military and civilian sites

Iraqi News

3 days ago

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Parliament's Security and Defense Committee will hold an important meeting next week to question government and military officials about a recent, alarming wave of unclaimed drone and rocket attacks that have targeted strategic military and civilian infrastructure across Iraq, from the southern province of Dhi Qar to Kirkuk in the north.
The decision for a high-level inquiry, announced by committee member Ali Al-Bandawi on Tuesday (July 2, 2025), comes after a series of brazen attacks that have exposed vulnerabilities in the nation's airspace and raised serious questions about its security readiness. 'The committee decided to hold an important meeting to discuss the recent breaches, the penetration of Iraqi airspace, and the targeting of the air defense radar at Al-Taji base,' Al-Bandawi stated.
The most recent incidents occurred late Monday night. Kirkuk International Airport was struck by projectiles, prompting a high-security alert at vital facilities across northern Iraq. Shortly after, security sources reported that Iraqi defenses successfully shot down an unknown drone in the vicinity of the critical Baiji oil refinery in Salah al-Din province.
These events follow a pattern of escalating attacks over the past week. On June 24, the Security Media Cell confirmed that two drones violated Baghdad's airspace; one crashed, while the other successfully struck a non-operational air defense radar at Al-Taji military base north of the capital.
The threat extends to the south as well. A high-level security source in Dhi Qar revealed in late June that a key radar at Imam Ali Air Base had been destroyed in a surprise drone attack, leaving the southern region's airspace 'open.' This followed days of unidentified drones conducting reconnaissance over the air base and the high-security Nasiriyah Central Prison ('Al-Hout'), which holds many dangerous terror convicts, sparking fears of a potential prison break attempt.
The parliamentary committee's planned meeting will see government and Ministry of Defence officials summoned to provide explanations for these repeated security breaches and outline the measures being taken to protect Iraq. The Kirkuk Governor, Rewbar Taha, had previously announced a local investigation, linking the shelling in his city to a preceding anti-ISIS operation, but the nationwide pattern suggests a more complex and coordinated challenge.
As Iraqi authorities launch high-level investigations into these incidents, the country grapples with a systematic campaign targeting its strategic assets. The upcoming parliamentary inquiry will be a critical test of the government's ability to provide security and hold the perpetrators accountable in the face of severe and repeated violations of its national sovereignty.