Retaliation in the shadows: IRGC's coordinated strikes on Iraq and Syria

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq was ablaze on Monday night-Tuesday morning. 

In detail, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked what they claim to be Israeli spy headquarters in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, used for planning terrorist operations in the region and inside Iran, according to the statement by the IRGC.

The targeting was in response to the killing of leaders from the IRGC and the Axis of Resistance, according to the Guard's expression. But where did these missiles originate? 

According to a leader in the IRGC, 11 missiles were launched towards Erbil from two provinces in western Iran: East Azerbaijan and Kermanshah. They were likely Fateh-110 missiles.

This is the Iranian narrative. However, according to the authorities in the Kurdistan Region, Iran targeted a residential area in Erbil near the US consulate. Still, no American facilities were hit, and there were no losses among Americans.

In addition, the house of a high-ranking Kurdish intelligence official and another Kurdish intelligence center were targeted, according to Reuters, leading to the death of four civilians and injuring six others.

Among the casualties were the Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee and a number of his family members. According to Iranian media, Dizayee is the owner of Falcon Group, primarily engaged in security, housing, and oil, accused of collaborating with Mossad, acting as a business partner for Israel, and supplying Tel Aviv with oil.

Hours after the incident, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued a statement confirming that the Iranian behavior was an aggression against Iraq's sovereignty. 

They stated they would take all legal measures, including filing a complaint with the United Nations Security Council and forming a committee to investigate the attack.

Not only the Iraqi arena but also Syria was inflamed. The IRGC launched missiles at Syria, specifically Idlib in northeastern Syria, destroying leaders and gatherings described by Tehran as terrorists in Syria. 

This attack came in response to the two explosions that occurred in the city of Kerman in southeast Iran earlier this month, according to the IRGC.

What stands out in this targeting is that, according to a commander in the IRGC, the missiles were launched from southwest Iran towards Syria, covering approximately 1200 kilometers. 

The missile used in this operation was the "Kheibar Shekan," which had a range of up to 1450 kilometers.

In summary, the timing of these events in the past few hours is crucial. It occurred as Israel entered its 102nd in the war on Gaza on one side, and on the other side, tensions in the region escalated, notably the US-Houthi confrontation in the Red Sea.