Erbil airport operations normal despite drone incident, director says

ERBIL, Iraq — Erbil International Airport director Ahmed Hoshyar said on Friday, July 24, 2026, that flights at the airport were continuing without interruption and that conditions were normal. Hoshyar told reporters that air traffic had not halted and that no emergency situation had occurred at the airport. Earlier, a security source said a drone targeting the area around the airport had been detected and that specialized security forces had immediately addressed the threat. No further details on the outcome of the operation were provided. The Kurdistan Region has recorded a rise in drone attacks in recent months, particularly in and around Erbil. The incidents are widely viewed as a spillover from the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, with drones most often targeting military sites or sensitive locations near Erbil airport, where international forces are also based.