Erbil: Explosive-laden drones struck three oil fields in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region early Wednesday, forcing temporary shutdowns. This marks the fifth site targeted in one week within the region, escalating concerns over regional security and energy production stability.

According to Deutsche Welle, the latest attacks followed a drone strike on Tuesday on the Sarsang field, compelling a halt in production at the site, which is operated by American firm HKN Energy. Earlier in the week, similar strikes impacted the Khurmala field, and one drone was intercepted near Erbil airport. While no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, initial investigations by Iraqi Kurdistan security sources suggest the drones originated from regions controlled by Iran-backed militias.

The security sources link these attacks to the broader regional proxy struggles involving Iran, the United States, and its ally, Israel. Iran is known to support Shiite Muslim militant groups in Iraq, such as Kataib Hezbollah. These drone strikes coincide with ongoing tensions between the central government in Baghdad and Kurdistan authorities, particularly concerning oil exports and a stalled pipeline to Turkey.

In response to the strikes, DNO, a company involved in the affected fields, stated, “The damage assessment is underway, and the company expects to restart production once the assessment is completed.” The situation remains tense as authorities continue to investigate the origins and motives behind the drone campaign.