IRAQ – An Iranian ballistic missile strike on Erbil, Iraq, killed at least 6 Peshmerga fighters and injured 30 others, according to the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs on Tuesday.

“This morning, the headquarters of the 1st Region’s 7th Infantry Division and the 5th Infantry Division of the Peshmerga forces in Erbil’s Soran district were targeted by six Iranian ballistic missiles,” the ministry said in a statement.

It called the attack a “violation of the principles of good neighborliness” and “a hostile and treacherous act.”

“We did not expect such a cowardly response to the Kurdish region’s peaceful stance. However, betrayal and oppression are short-lived, and the will for peace will prevail,” the ministry said.

“We once again call on all parties to avoid conflict and chaos in the Kurdish region, and we urge the federal government, the international community and all our friends not to remain silent in the face of these violations and to put an end to such reckless aggression,” it added.

Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Iraq, Jordan, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.