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Explosion reported near Erbil airport in northern Iraq

A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (AFP Photo)
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A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (AFP Photo)
March 19, 2026 03:34 PM GMT+03:00

An explosion was reported near Erbil International Airport in northern Iraq on Thursday, with the source not immediately known.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondents said they heard an explosion and saw smoke rising from an area just outside the airport perimeter.

A witness cited by AFP said two similar explosions were heard earlier in the morning.

No details were immediately available.

Erbil hosts a major U.S. consulate complex, while its airport houses troops from the U.S.-led coalition.

This came as regional escalation has intensified since Israel and the U.S. launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks across the region and has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route that normally handles about 20 million barrels per day and roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade, disrupting global energy markets.

March 19, 2026 04:42 PM GMT+03:00
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