Unidentified Drone Strike Shuts Down Iraq's Khor Mor Gasfield, Plunging Kurdistan Into Widespread Blackouts

Late on Wednesday night an attack struck the Khor Mor gas field in Iraqi Kurdistan, hitting a liquid storage tank and setting a large blaze that forced operators to halt production while firefighters extinguished the fire, and there were no reported casualties.

“Agrees joint probe with KRG ERBIL – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani “strongly condemned” theWednesday attack on the Khor Mor gas complexduring a phone call with Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday, describing the strike as “an attack on all of Iraq,” according to a KRG statement”

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Multiple outlets describe the facility as part of the Pearl Petroleum consortium operated by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum and note the damaged KM250 tank was part of a recent capacity expansion.

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The operator and local authorities mobilised teams to assess and normalise the site while Baghdad and Erbil agreed to form a joint investigative committee.

The strike produced an immediate, large shock to Kurdistan's power system when operators halted all gas exports to power stations, causing the regional electricity supply to plunge and triggering widespread partial blackouts in cities including Sulaimaniyah.

Estimates of lost generation vary by outlet—roughly 2,600 megawatts in some accounts and about 3,000 megawatts in others—and some reports describe the impact as around 80% of the grid or as a practical reduction in hours of supply.

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Authorities warned the outage threatens recent efforts to provide round-the-clock power across the region.

Officials reported no casualties and moved quickly to investigate.

Iraq’s Security Media Cell and the Joint Operations Command both said there were no injuries, and Erbil and Baghdad agreed to form a joint investigative committee at the behest of senior leaders.

Political leaders publicly blamed or suspected hostile armed groups, with Kurdish authorities and some local officials pointing to Iran-backed militias as likely perpetrators while Iraq’s caretaker prime minister ordered a probe and military spokesmen framed the attack as an attempt to destabilise security and the economy.

The US has also been mentioned in statements, with The National citing a US envoy accusing illegal armed groups of acting on foreign agendas and pledging US support.

The strike fits into a wider pattern of repeated assaults on northern Iraq’s energy infrastructure.

Earlier incidents have been cited by analysts and officials as evidence of persistent vulnerability.

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Khor Mor has been struck multiple times in recent years, including an April 2024 drone strike that killed four workers.

Analysts say such attacks can be used as leverage in political and energy disputes, complicating Kurdish plans to reduce reliance on Iranian gas.

Several outlets point to regional tensions — including US‑Iran rivalry and the rising influence of Iran-aligned factions in Baghdad — as the backdrop for these pressure tactics.

The economic and security fallout spans immediate market and diplomatic signals as well as longer-term defence calls.

“A rocket strike targeted a storage tank at the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq's Kurdistan region, one of the area's largest, forcing production to halt and triggering power outages, joint operator Dana Gas said on Thursday”

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Dana Gas shares dipped after the strike.

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Kurdish leaders publicly urged permission to acquire anti-drone and kinetic defences and asked the US for support.

Baghdad and Erbil's joint investigative committee will assess damage and responsibility.

Some reports say electricity might be restored within 48 hours if the damage is limited to one tank.

Others warn the hit could undermine plans to reduce Iranian gas dependence and deter foreign investment in local energy projects.