Erbil International Airport, Iraqi Kurdistan.
Some hours earlier, air defence systems downed four missiles headed towards the US consulate in Erbil, a security source told AFP.
Iraq has increasingly, and unwillingly, been drawn into a regional war, which was sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. The attacks have not only provoked Iran's direct retaliation but also separate strikes by Iraqi armed groups on US interests both within Iraq and beyond.
These groups -- nominally part of the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq", a loose alliance of pro-Iran factions opposed to the US presence in the country -- have, in turn, come under attack by the United States and Israel.
The Pentagon has acknowledged that helicopters have carried out strikes against pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq during the war.
On Sunday, the US embassy in Baghdad said Iraqi armed groups aligned with Iran carried out "two more egregious attacks against US diplomatic facilities in Iraq overnight in an attempt to kill American diplomats".
The embassy spokesperson urged Iraqi authorities to prevent further attacks on the US mission and facilities.
"We will not hesitate to defend our personnel and facilities should the Iraqi government be unable to fulfill its obligations," the spokesperson said.
On Thursday, the Iraqi foreign ministry said it was "exerting maximum effort to prevent any escalation", including strengthening security to protect foreign and diplomatic interests as well as maintaining internal stability.
The Kurdistan region's Peshmerga security forces have also faced multiple attacks since the start of the war, with six of their fighters killed in an Iranian attack in March.
On Monday, the Peshmerga ministry said its command headquarters was attacked overnight by four explosive-laden drones, without specifying whether there were any casualties.
"Until now, there has not been a serious stance or practical steps to deter these terrorist attacks and put an end to them" by Iraq's federal authorities, the ministry said.
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