The attack occurred early on Saturday, with security sources confirming that the residence of Barzani was targeted. No immediate details were provided on casualties or damage.

Air defense systems also intercepted and shot down another drone near a base used by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in Duhok province, the sources added.

Sudani condemned the incident and held a phone call with Barzani following the attack, according to a statement from his office. He directed the formation of a joint federal and Kurdistan regional security and technical team to investigate the strikes and identify those responsible.

The move reflects Baghdad’s effort to manage growing instability in the north, where overlapping security jurisdictions between federal and regional authorities complicate response mechanisms.

The incident comes amid a surge in attacks involving Iran-aligned militias and Kurdish forces, as the broader US–Israel war against Iran increasingly spills into Iraqi territory.

Airstrikes in recent weeks have targeted positions associated with the Popular Mobilization Forces as well as Kurdish Peshmerga units in the Kurdistan Region.

Iraq’s military has accused the United States and Israel of conducting some of these strikes.In parallel, Tehran-backed armed groups have launched attacks on U.S. military installations in Iraq and on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, underscoring the widening scope of the confrontation.

The PMF said in a statement that its Anbar operations commander, Saad al-Baiji, was among those killed when a strike hit a command headquarters during a security meeting attended by senior personnel.

The group accused the United States of carrying out the attack, saying the facility was targeted while fighters were on duty.Health officials said several of the wounded were in critical condition, indicating the death toll could rise.

Security sources told Reuters the airstrike targeted the PMF headquarters during a high-level coordination meeting, amplifying the impact of the attack. The extent of structural damage to the site was not immediately clear.

There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. officials regarding the allegation.

The PMF, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, is a state-sanctioned umbrella organisation comprising predominantly Shi’ite paramilitary factions. It was formally integrated into Iraq’s security apparatus but includes several groups aligned with Iran.

The strike comes amid intensifying regional tensions following the outbreak of a U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in February. Tehran-backed armed groups have since launched repeated attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, raising concerns of a broader conflict.

Hostilities have spread beyond Iran’s borders, with Tehran carrying out strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military facilities, while Israel has conducted attacks in Lebanon following cross-border fire by Iran-aligned Hezbollah.