Local Iraqi officials blame gas field rocket strike on Iran-backed groups
A rocket strike on Iraq’s Khor Mor gas field late on Wednesday forced its closure and caused widespread power outages across the Kurdistan region, in an attack local officials cited by Reuters blamed on Iran-backed militias.
The field’s operator, UAE-based Dana Gas, said the attack hit a liquid storage tank, sparking a fire but causing no casualties. Production was suspended, cutting an estimated 3,000 megawatts from regional power generation, Kurdish officials cited by the news agency said.
There was no claim of responsibility, but Kurdish authorities have frequently accused armed groups aligned with Tehran of targeting energy infrastructure to pressure the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and undermine US-linked projects, according to Reuters.
“These attacks repeatedly hit our critical infrastructure,” said Aziz Ahmad, deputy chief of staff to KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, calling on Washington to allow the region to purchase anti-drone defenses.
The Khor Mor field, operated by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, is a key supplier for northern Iraq’s electricity grid and includes facilities partly financed by the United States.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the attack as “an assault on all of Iraq” and said a joint investigation with Kurdish authorities would be launched.
