US-led International Coalition forces intercepted and destroyed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil in the early hours of Friday, according to the Kurdistan Region's Counter-Terrorism Directorate (CTD), marking the second such aerial attack targeting the city within days.

The CTD said the drones were intercepted between 4:19 a.m. and 5:25 a.m. local time on July 17. Coalition air defense systems successfully neutralized all eight drones before they could reach their intended targets. Authorities confirmed that no casualties or material damage were reported.

The incident follows a similar drone attack on Wednesday, July 15, when Coalition forces shot down another eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 8:53 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. The interception prevented the drones from striking their intended destinations, highlighting ongoing security threats facing the Kurdistan Region.

The repeated attacks come amid heightened regional tensions and increasing concerns over the use of drones in cross-border and regional conflicts.

In a separate development early Friday, reports indicated that at least nine refugees from Rojhelat (Iranian Kurdistan) were killed in Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting the Zrgwez area in Sulaymaniyah province.

The Zrgwez area is known to host Iranian Kurdish refugees as well as camps belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups. The strikes reportedly occurred shortly after the drone attack over Erbil, although there has been been no official indication that the two incidents were directly connected.

Authorities have not released further information regarding the identities of the victims or the extent of the damage in the Zrgwez area. Iranian authorities had not publicly commented on the reported strikes at the time of publication.