[kellyhound]

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a fresh wave of cross-border drone strikes late Thursday night and early Friday morning, targeting the headquarters and military positions of Iranian-Kurdish opposition factions in the Erbil province, Iraq.

The attack, which extended from the late hours of October 8 into the early morning of October 9, 2026, utilized Iranian-manufactured Shahed-136 kamikaze drones.

The loitering munitions struck multiple bases belonging to the Kurdistan Freedom Party, as well as camps operated by the Sazmani Xebat (Khabat Organization) located in the Khabat and Top Zawa districts just outside the autonomous region's capital.

This military offensive marks a significant escalation in a persistent cross-border campaign waged by Tehran throughout 2026. The IRGC has repeatedly hit these exact networks, including a notable drone strike on January 21, 2026, which killed PAK logistics officer Mozafar Mohammadzadeh at a facility in Kawrasor, followed by subsequent drone blitzes throughout June and July.

Tehran continues to justify the cross-border operations by classifying these armed dissident networks as terror organizations. Iranian defense officials accuse the PAK and affiliated groups of smuggling weapons across the border to instigate unrest inside Iran's western provinces, while allegedly collaborating with hostile foreign intelligence agencies. Meanwhile, authorities in Erbil have repeatedly condemned the strikes as a direct violation of Iraqi sovereignty.