Iraq investigation concludes drones struck Khor Mor gas field, Kurdistan Region requests air defenses

An Iraqi government investigation concluded that two drones attacked the Khor Mor gas field in the country’s autonomous Kurdistan Region on November 26. The attack on the vital gas and energy facility caused power outages in the Kurdistan Region.

“The announcement was delivered on Wednesday [December 3], by Sabah al-Nu’man, spokesperson for Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, who confirmed that the attack was carried out using two explosive-laden drones launched from the eastern outskirts of Tuz Khurmatu,” Kurdistan24 reported on December 4.

In the wake of the attack, authorities in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) called for international action and more support to prevent future attacks. US, UN, and other officials, including Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani, condemned the attack. It was the 11th attack on the site since 2022. Local officials have blamed Iranian-backed militias for these attacks, although the official Iraqi report does not name a specific group.

The December 3 Iraqi government investigation blamed outlaws for the attack but did not name the suspects, according to The New Arab. The report noted that “Iran aims to prevent Dana Gas from strengthening its influence, given its competitive interests in regional energy markets.” Dana Gas, a UAE-based company, is one of the members of the consortium involved in the Khor Mor gas field.

There is now an increased focus on providing the KRG with air defenses to prevent further attacks. The Baghdad committee examining the incident suggested “[e]stablishing an integrated air defense system for the Khor Mor site through coordination between Baghdad and Erbil,” among other recommendations. On December 2, US President Donald Trump was asked by a Kurdish reporter from Rudaw Media Network about the incident, and he responded that he had heard about it but did not elaborate on further specific support for Erbil. US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who is also the envoy to Syria, said in a December 5 interview with The National that Iran was making a stand in Iraq after having lost out in other areas of the region.

US officials are focused on security in the Kurdistan Region. On December 3, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani hosted US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas in Erbil, the autonomous region’s capital. “We reaffirmed the importance of Kurdistan–U.S. relations and our readiness to further advance our partnership. I thanked the U.S. for its continued support. We strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Khor Mor gas field,” Barzani posted on social media. Rigas was in Erbil for the opening of the large new US Consulate General.

Other meetings also referenced US coordination with the regional authorities on security issues. “Senior Defense Official Colonel [Stephanie] Bagley met KRG Interior and Peshmerga senior officials to bolster coordination against malign actors targeting Iraq’s stability and critical infrastructure. The U.S. remains committed to supporting security efforts and reinforcing Iraqi sovereignty,” the US Consulate in Erbil wrote in a post on X on December 4.

Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza (2024)