Smoke from an explosion near the airport of the city of Erbil in northern Iraq late in the evening of March 11, 2026
A rocket struck an Italian military base in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, during the night, the Italian Ministry of Defense confirmed on Thursday. No casualties were reported. Hungarian soldiers are also stationed in the city, and in recent days they too have come under direct attack, hirado.hu reports.
The Italian Ministry of Defense said on X: “A rocket hit our base in Erbil. There are no fatalities or injuries among Italian soldiers; everyone is safe.” Other Italian sources noted two drone impacts and a fire at the site, which was quickly extinguished.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto is in constant contact with military leaders regarding the incident. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Reuters that soldiers at the base took shelter in bunkers and that everyone is safe.
“Un missile ha colpito la nostra base di
Erbil. Non ci sono vittime né feriti tra il personale
italiano. Stanno tutti bene. Sono costantemente aggiornato dal Capo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa e dal Comandante dei COVI”. Così il Ministro @GuidoCrosetto pic.twitter.com/MzLpkSlu8D
— Ministero Difesa (@MinisteroDifesa) March 11, 2026
About 300 Italian soldiers are stationed in Erbil, primarily tasked with training Kurdish security forces, the Italian ministry said.
The Hungarian Ministry of Defense confirmed that their troops also sought shelter due to the Iranian-linked attack, and all are safe.
“All Hungarian soldiers are fine. They were in bunkers at the time of the strike,” the ministry told Index.
Earlier reports indicated a drone attack struck an ammunition depot at a U.S. military base in Erbil. The American base—like the Italian one—is located near the airport. According to the Kurdish Rudaw news channel and Clash Report, the explosions took place on the military section of the airport. Erbil airport’s air defenses reportedly destroyed most of the attacking devices, though explosions and a large fire were observed on the base.
⚠The #IRGC announced a strike on a US base in Iraqi Kurdistan. #Iran
“The headquarters of the invading US forces at the Al-Harir Air Base in the Kurdish region was hit by five missiles,” the IRGC said in a statement. pic.twitter.com/N5scHE7fkH
— News.Az (@news_az) March 10, 2026
Hungary’s government extended the Hungarian Defense Forces’ mission in Iraq from fall 2025 through December 31, 2026.
The Iran-aligned Iraqi Shia militia Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it plans a major operation against American military facilities in Iraq. Reports suggest the attacks may have been carried out in retaliation after Iran’s top political and religious leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Tehran. The militia reported using drones and new types of rockets against Erbil airport, with explosions occurring in the military-designated areas of the facility.
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Via hirado.hu, Reuters, Index, Clash Report, Featured image: MTI/AP/Leo Correa
