Iran War Again Underlined Iraqi Kurdistan’s Critical Air Defense Need

BusinessAerospace & DefenseIran War Again Underlined Iraqi Kurdistan’s Critical Air Defense NeedByPaul Iddon,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Paul Iddon is a freelance journalist focused on Middle East affairs.Follow AuthorMay 31, 2026, 09:12am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles fired at the U.S. base are neutralized at Erbil International Airport in Erbil, Iraq, on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Ahsan Mohammed Ahmed Ahmed/Anadolu via Getty Images)Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe U.S.-Israel war with Iran, launched on February 28 and concluded with the fragile ceasefire that took effect on April 8, saw Iraqi Kurdistan endure an unprecedented number of Iranian and Iran-backed militia missile and drone attacks. While U.S. and British air defenses helped shield the autonomous region’s capital city, Erbil, the region’s critical lack of any independent air defenses once again became glaringly apparent. And it’s still unclear whether the region can even acquire air defenses for self-protection any time soon.The Pentagon’s latest Lead Inspector General report to Congress on Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led anti-Islamic State campaign in Iraq and Syria, covering the first quarter of 2026, highlighted this crucial lack of capability. It also highlighted notable attacks on the Iraqi Kurdistan Region throughout the war. These included repeated attacks on U.S.-led coalition forces stationed on the grounds of Erbil International Airport, rocket attacks targeting Kurdish leadership residences, and a fatal March 24 attack that killed six Kurdish Peshmerga troops and wounded an estimated 30. “Air defense systems operated by U.S. forces intercepted dozens of missile and drone attacks in the IKR, but only in the vicinity of U.S. facilities,” the report noted. “Kurdish Peshmerga lack significant defens...