The US consulate building in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region. File photo
The consulate, located near Erbil International Airport where US forces are based, was repeatedly targeted by drone and rocket attacks during the Middle East war.
AFP journalists reported seeing several drones hovering over Erbil before they were intercepted by the air defence system, followed by explosions and plumes of smoke.
No group has claimed responsibility for the apparent attack.
The incident coincided with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's week-long visit to Washington, where he met US President Donald Trump, and came amid renewed military escalation between the United States and Iran.
During the US-Israel war against Iran, Iraq's Kurdistan region, home to US troops and numerous foreign oil companies, became a frequent target of drone attacks, most of them carried out by Iraqi armed groups aligned with Iran.
The factions have traded hundreds of retaliatory strikes with US forces since the start of the Middle East war in support of Tehran.
Iran has also repeatedly targeted Iranian Kurdish rebel groups based in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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