UK Troops Come Under Attack As Iranian Drone Swarm Targets Military Base In Iraq's Erbil

Last Updated:March 12, 2026, 21:45 IST

British troops in northern Iraq were attacked by Iranian drones. Two drones were destroyed, others hit the Erbil air base.

British troops came under attack as an Iranian drone targeted a military base in northern Iraq, defense chiefs said, as reported by The Telegraph.

While the UK air-defence troops destroyed two drones, other devices eluded defences and struck the air base at Erbil in northern Iraq on late Wednesday.

Since the start of the West Asia conflict, this marks the third such attack against British forces, following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and a missile landing 400m from UK personnel in Iraq.

‘Russia Aiding Iran’ 

John Healey, the Defence Secretary, claimed Russia was aiding Tehran in refining the regime’s drone tactics. “No one will be surprised to believe that Putin’s hidden hand is behind some of the Iranian tactics and potentially some of their capabilities as well."

Meanwhile, defence chiefs confirmed on Thursday that an unknown number of drones, believed to have been fired from Iran, “did impact the base" at Erbil, The Telegraph reported.

UK officials said Thursday that no British soldier was injured in the attack while US troops deployed at the base sustained minor injuries.

Describing the attack, Brigadier Guy Foden, assistant chief of staff for operations at PJHQ, said, “Erbil and Baghdad were both struck a number of times last night with increasing coordination. We have personnel in Erbil who are currently helping with the defence of that base."

West Asia Conflict

The development comes amid a raging war in West Asia following the February 28 coordinated US-Israeli strikes against Iran and the subsequent retaliatory attacks by Tehran across the Gulf.

News world UK Troops Come Under Attack As Iranian Drone Swarm Targets Military Base In Iraq's Erbil

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