ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Saturday rejected the “unjustified attack” on Iran, reaffirming Baghdad’s opposition to war and warning of the consequences of “the blatant aggression that targeted a number of Iraqi sites,” causing several casualties.

Israel on Saturday morning launched what it called a “preemptive strike” on Iran, with explosions being seen in Tehran and a nationwide red alert being imposed across Israel, while US President Donald Trump announced that the US military has started “major combat operations” in Iran.

The attacks led to retaliatory strikes from Iran, targeting US military bases across the region, including several aerial objects intercepted by coalition forces over the skies of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region.

Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the Iraqi Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, said that Sudani was briefed on the security situation in a meeting with top security officials, which “affirmed Iraq's position, government and people, in rejecting the logic of war and aggression in all its forms, and warned of the consequences of the blatant aggression that targeted a number of Iraqi sites, resulting in the martyrdom of several individuals and various injuries.”

Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework also condemned what it called violations of Iraqi airspace, stressing it “categorically rejects any violation of Iraqi airspace and the use of Iraq's skies or territories as a launching pad for attacks,” calling for “an immediate halt to the aggression, a swift return to the negotiating table.”

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said earlier in the day that two fighters were killed and three others injured following an airstrike on Jurf al-Nasr in Babil province. Further reports suggested that the death toll may have risen to three.

In a statement, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, an Iran-backed Iraqi armed group, affirmed its “complete readiness” to stand with Iran in confronting “America, the Zionist entity [Israel], and their allies in the region.”

Baghdad has repeatedly stressed that it does not want to be dragged into the conflict, with a senior source telling state media the US has confirmed its “strong desire to ensure that Iraq is not drawn” into the war with Iran.

“We do not intend to carry out any military action in Iraq,” the source said.

The Erbil-based Kurdistan Counterterrorism urged civilians to take cover and stay protected while alarm sirens are activated, to avoid contact with pieces of aerial objects being intercepted and crashing from the sky.

The US has repeatedly voiced concern over the presence of Iran-backed militias in Iraq and the influence Tehran casts over Baghdad. Washington has designated several Iraqi armed factions as terrorist organizations and accused them of targeting US interests in the region.