Widespread blackout caused by drone attack on Khor Mor gas field, exposing Iraqi vulnerabilities

A drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in Iraqi Kurdistan on November 8 caused a widespread blackout, reducing electricity generation capacity by 2,800 megawatts. The attack struck a storage facility with 1,500 tons of cooking gas. Dana Gas confirmed no injuries. Iraqi PM Al-Zaidi ordered a joint investigation. Suspected Iranian-backed militias are blamed, but no group claimed responsibility.

A drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on November 8 caused a widespread blackout, exposing the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure. The attack struck a gas storage and truck-loading facility containing approximately 1,500 tons of cooking gas, according to Rudaw. Dana Gas, the UAE-based operator, said the fire was extinguished and there were no injuries. The KRG Electricity Ministry reported that the shutdown reduced electricity generation capacity by 2,800 megawatts. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered a joint investigation with the KRG, calling it a "heinous attack." The origin remains unclear, but security sources suggest it originated near Tuz Khurmatu, an area with a presence of Iranian-backed militias. The attack comes amid political tensions between the Kurdistan Region's two main parties and a broader confrontation between Baghdad and Iran-backed militias over weapons and economic influence.