Drone strikes hit U.S. energy firm and Basra international airport

On Friday evening, a series of drone strikes targeted vital infrastructure in southern Iraq, including a major American energy facility and the provincial international airport.

The first attack involved an unidentified drone hitting the Energy City complex, operated by the U.S. company Baker Hughes, in the Burjesia area of Zubair district, west of Basra, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The facility is a specialized hub for solar energy, gas processing, and oil pipeline technology.

The strike on the Baker Hughes complex did not result in any casualties, though technical teams are still assessing the extent of the material damage to the high-tech energy equipment. Security perimeters around the Burjesia energy corridor have been tightened following the explosion, as this zone hosts numerous international oil and gas service companies.

In a related escalation, a second drone targeted Basra International Airport later that evening. Security sources confirmed the projectile fell within the perimeter of the Old Military Airport section, an area that has been closed for a significant period and sits adjacent to the air cargo building. A circulated video captured the moment of impact, which fortunately caused no injuries or significant structural damage to the airport’s current operational facilities.

These twin strikes in the south mark a significant geographic expansion of the conflict, which had previously been concentrated in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region. The targeting of a major American energy firm suggests a shift toward economic warfare, aimed at disrupting the foreign-led oil and gas services that sustain Iraq’s primary revenue stream.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli