Iran's Revolutionary Guards released a statement on Sunday taking responsibility for missile attacks against Israeli "strategic centers" in the city of Irbil in Iraq's northern region, Iran's state media reported.
A "strategic centre for conspiracy and mischiefs of the Zionists was targeted by powerful precision missiles fired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.", said a statement on Sepah News, the Guards' official website. "Any repetition of attacks by Israel will be met with a harsh, decisive and destructive response," the statement added.
A dozen ballistic missiles struck Irbil, in the early hours of Sunday, with a United States official blaming Iran for the attack, which also targeted the U.S. Consulate's new building. The missile attack comes as talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal face the prospect of collapse after a last-minute Russian demand forced world powers to pause negotiations for an undetermined time despite having a largely completed text.
The missiles caused only material damage and one civilian was injured. An Iraqi security official told Reuters that the missiles were manufactured in Iran.
An Iranian state-TV correspondent based in Iraq said that the missiles were aimed at "secret Israeli bases."
The U.S. official who said Iran was responsible did not give further details. Iranian officials have yet to comment.
Separately, a U.S. State Department spokesperson called it an "outrageous attack" but said no Americans were hurt and there was no damage to U.S. government facilities in Irbil.
U.S. forces stationed at Irbil's international airport complex have in the past come under fire from rocket and drone attacks that Washington blames on Iran-aligned militia groups, but no such attacks have occurred for several months.
"It's premature to point the finger of blame at a specific party but initial reports show indisputably that it was a cross-border short-range missile attack," an Iraqi security official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.
"Parts of the fired missiles were retrieved and it was manufactured by Iran," he said.
The attack came after Israel killed two Iranian members of the Revolutionary Guards earlier this week in Syria.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry denounced the attack.
"We condemn the attack, which took place with ballistic missiles this morning (March 13) in Irbil, Iraq," it said in a statement. "Such acts aiming to disrupt peace and stability in Iraq are totally unacceptable."
"Turkey will continue to stand by Iraq in its fight against terrorism," it added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also slammed Iranian attack on Irbil, saying that "silence of international community makes it easier for such crimes to happen".