ALBAWABA- Pro-Iran Iraqi armed factions carried out a series of drone strikes on warehouses operated by Castrol in Erbil on Wednesday, setting off a large fire and escalating attacks on foreign-linked commercial assets in the Kurdistan Region.
The facility, run by local partner Sardar Group along the Erbil–Mosul road, was first hit at approximately 7:20 a.m. local time. The initial strike ignited extensive stocks of automotive lubricants and logistical materials.
Two additional drones struck the site as firefighters attempted to contain the blaze, complicating emergency efforts, while a fourth drone was intercepted by air defenses. Civil defense teams later brought the fire under control, with no casualties reported. Castrol stated that the targeted site is a licensed commercial facility with no involvement in ongoing regional hostilities.
The attacks were attributed to factions operating under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which includes groups such as Kataib Hezbollah. The strikes form part of a broader campaign of more than 450 attacks across the Kurdistan Region in retaliation for the US and Israeli military assaults against Iran, which started late February.
These factions have repeatedly targeted US-linked sites, foreign businesses, and energy-related infrastructure in an effort to expand the conflict and increase pressure on Washington and its allies.
While the Erbil facility stores finished lubricants rather than crude oil, limiting any direct impact on Iraq’s production or export capacity, the incident adds to mounting concerns in global energy markets.
