ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani on Wednesday ordered the formation of an operations room to enhance security coordination, in light of the regional escalations, stressing that the Region is “not a part of this war.”

The directive came during a Wednesday meeting between Talabani and Sulaimani's provincial security committee, where the deputy prime minister explained that although the Region is not a party to this war, “the sparks of war have reached the Kurdistan Region beyond our will and desire.”

A US-Israeli offensive against Iran on Saturday that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has escalated into a regional crisis, as Iran and its proxies target US interests and Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region.

“It is our duty to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and property of citizens. Within this framework, a decision was made to establish an Operations Room to create full coordination between the security forces and relevant authorities,” Talabani said.

Sulaimani's Ri'aya hill, also known as the UN hill, was subjected to a drone attack on Tuesday night. The attack is part of a broader offensive on several targets across the Kurdistan Region, including the US Consulate in Erbil, Erbil International Airport, as well as several bases belonging to Iranian-Kurdish dissident groups in the Kurdistan Region.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday said that Erbil has become a target for “terrorist” groups amid the ongoing regional escalations, urging Baghdad to prevent such attacks as Erbil cannot remain silent for long.

The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Coordinator for International Advocacy Dindar Zebari on Wednesday expressed “serious concern” regarding the effects of the conflict on the Kurdistan Region, calling on “international community, the United Nations, and particularly the Human Rights Council, to address these developments with due responsibility.”

The Islamic republic has yet to claim responsibility for any attacks on the Kurdistan Region. However, an Iran-backed Iraqi militia by the name of Saraya Awliya al-Dam has on multiple occasions claimed responsibility for the attacks on Erbil.