Shafaq News
Since February 28, 2026, when a US-Israeli military campaign against Iran began, Iraq has become one of the most active fronts in the resulting regional confrontation. Strikes, drone attacks, and rocket barrages have hit targets across Federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, drawing in state-sanctioned armed factions, US and Western military installations, energy infrastructure, diplomatic facilities, and civilian landmarks.
Iraqi authorities have confirmed at least 108 people killed since the escalation began, among them civilians, PMF members, Iraqi Army soldiers, and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. Responsibility for individual incidents is confirmed in some cases, contested in others, and entirely unclaimed in several. What follows is a systematic account of what has been struck, by whom, and what is known.
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Popular Mobilization Forces
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a state-sanctioned umbrella of predominantly Shiite armed factions formally integrated into the Iraqi state security structure, have sustained some of the heaviest losses since the escalation began.
The deadliest confirmed strike hit a PMF position at Habbaniyah Base in Al-Anbar province, killing Al-Anbar operations commander Saad Dawi and 14 fighters. Total casualty figures from the incident reached as high as 30, though that number remains unconfirmed. The strike formed part of a broader pattern of precision attacks on PMF positions in Baghdad, Babil, Diyala, and Saladin provinces, with multiple hits on storage sites, command points, and logistics routes. Secondary explosions at several sites were consistent with the detonation of weapons stockpiles, according to accounts from security sources and faction-affiliated outlets.
Hadi Al-Amiri, head of the Badr Organization — one of the PMF's most prominent constituent factions —placed the total number of PMF members killed or wounded at more than 160 since February 28. No party has claimed responsibility for the strikes on PMF positions. PMF-affiliated factions have attributed them to the United States and Israel, framing them within the broader Iran conflict. Neither Washington nor Tel Aviv has confirmed involvement.
US Military and Diplomatic Installations
American facilities in Baghdad have faced sustained targeting throughout the escalation. The Diplomatic Support Center at the base near Baghdad International Airport —formerly known as Victoria Base— and the US Embassy compound in the Green Zone have been repeatedly struck by rockets and one-way attack drones. Air defense systems intercepted incoming projectiles in several incidents; in others, strikes landed within or near facility perimeters, causing damage and triggering lockdowns and movement restrictions, according to security sources who spoke to Shafaq News.
In the Kurdistan Region, US military facilities in Erbil and Al-Sulaymaniyah provinces —including areas near Erbil International Airport and Harir Base, both of which host American troops— have been struck by drones and, in some cases, rockets.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) —an umbrella network of Iran-backed Shiite armed factions— has claimed primary responsibility for these operations. Since February 28, IRI-affiliated factions have claimed nearly 450 attacks targeting US military facilities across Iraq and the wider region. Groups operating under the IRI banner, including Kataib Hezbollah, Saraya Awliyaa Al-Dam, and Harakat Al-Nujaba, have released statements through affiliated channels presenting the operations as a sustained campaign linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Saraya Awliyaa Al-Dam alone claimed 136 operations over a 22-day period, including 31 in Baghdad and 55 in the Kurdistan Region, according to statements from the group. The group additionally cited operations in Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan.
US officials have attributed the attacks broadly to Iran-backed armed groups without consistently naming specific factions, and have warned of potential responses if targeting of US personnel and installations continues. Most incidents did not result in confirmed American casualties, though material damage and elevated alert levels have been documented across US facilities.
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Peshmerga Headquarters
The most serious single incident in the Region involved ballistic missile strikes on Peshmerga positions in Soran, Erbil province, causing 36 casualties, including six deaths, according to the Kurdish Security Forces. The strikes damaged fortified positions, storage sites, and logistical nodes.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani subsequently stated that Iranian officials had acknowledged the Soran strikes as a mistake, expressed regret, and pledged an investigation. The Kurdistan Regional Government said it was awaiting the outcome of the inquiry.
A separate facility in Iraqi Kurdistan housing a joint Peshmerga-French forces in the Makhmour area was attacked on March 12, killing one French soldier. France confirmed both the attack and the fatality.
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Iranian Kurdish Opposition Groups
Facilities belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition parties based in the Kurdistan Region have also been struck. Sites related to the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), and the Komala Party were targeted in Erbil and Al-Sulaymaniyah provinces, including in Koya. The strikes hit command centers, residential compounds, and training facilities, causing extensive structural damage and fires at several locations.
The targeted groups accused Iran of carrying out the attacks, describing them as part of an effort to suppress opposition activity operating from Iraqi territory. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) —Iran's elite military force—claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating it had targeted sites linked to what it described as hostile groups allegedly preparing cross-border operations.
The groups did not officially disclose fatality or injury figures.
Read more: Iraq’s neutrality fades: Formal war involvement draws closer?
Civilian and Symbolic Targets
The regional escalation has extended beyond military and paramilitary sites to targets with civilian, symbolic, and diplomatic significance.
A hotel in Erbil was struck by drones, with some reports indicating American soldiers were present at the facility at the time of the attack, according to sources who spoke to Reuters. The hotel's name was not confirmed.
Al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad —located inside the Green Zone and a frequent lodging point for foreign diplomats and media— was struck by a drone on March 16. Iraqi authorities confirmed the attack and stated there were no casualties.
The former United Nations headquarters in Baghdad was also targeted by drone attacks during the escalation period. No additional details on casualties or damage have been confirmed.
The UAE Consulate General in Erbil has been a recurring target since February 28. Both the UAE and Iraqi authorities have confirmed the attacks. No party has claimed responsibility.
Infrastructure and Maritime Targets
Baiji Refinery —Iraq's largest oil refinery, located in Saladin province— and the Kani Qirzhala Warehouse were targeted during the escalation, according to sources who spoke to Shafaq News. Casualty figures, damage assessments, and the specific dates of both incidents remain unconfirmed.
Two oil tankers were sabotaged near Iraqi waters off Basra in March 2026— one of them Maltese-flagged— in attacks using drones or explosive boats. One foreign crew member was killed, and 38 others were rescued, according to security officials at the Iraqi port. No party has claimed responsibility for the maritime attacks.
Erbil's energy infrastructure was also targeted with a barrage of drones. No casualty figures were immediately confirmed from that incident.
Scope of the Escalation
The incidents represent a partial picture of an ongoing and still-expanding confrontation. Iraqi health authorities place the confirmed death toll at a minimum of 108 across all categories —civilians, PMF members, Iraqi Army soldiers, and Peshmerga fighters. Hundreds of additional claimed attacks remain unverified, and casualty figures in several incidents are subject to further confirmation.
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.