Explosive-laden drone crashes near military base in Iraq

Actual photo before AI altered the image showing a plume of smoke rising near Erbil International Airport in Erbil on March 1, 2026. Photo: AFP Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi security sources told Reuters on Monday that a drone carrying explosives crashed near Harir Air Base in Iraq, which houses US forces. While no injuries or damages have been reported, authorities have yet to provide any clarifications. Harir Air Base hosts United States and international coalition forces and is located east of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. It is known as the closest US air base to Iran. The military base is frequently targeted by drone attacks launched by Iran and its allied militias in Iraq. On Sunday, the three provinces of Iraqi Kurdistan—Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok—were subjected to a massive wave of drone and missile assaults as Iran escalated its attacks on US objectives and civilian targets in the region. Iranian media has already reported on Iranian strikes against Harir Air Base in recent weeks, as has been the case since the beginning of the current war.