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financeMonday, November 9, 2026 at 05:52 PM
Drone Strike Suspends Output at Khor Mor Gas Field, Cutting Power to Iraqi Kurdistan

Drone Strike Suspends Output at Khor Mor Gas Field, Cutting Power to Iraqi Kurdistan

A single drone strike on 9 November removed the primary gas feedstock for Iraqi Kurdistan's power grid. The incident tests deterrence after US withdrawal and raises the cost of KRG energy independence. Attribution remains open between Iran-linked actors and other regional spoilers.

The attack hit the LPG unit in the Old Field section. Kurdistan Regional Government electricity ministry spokesman Omid Ahmed confirmed gas flows to the listed plants stopped. Local security sources tracked the drone's approach from Khurmatu; no group claimed responsibility. US envoy Tom Barrack condemned the strike as an attack on Iraqi civilians and pledged support for attribution. Production data from the field operator and KRG grid reports establish the immediate loss of feedstock to the region's sole major gas source.

Khor Mor supplies the dominant share of fuel for Kurdistan's power stations under a production-sharing contract involving the KRG and international operators. Iran maintains documented ballistic and drone reach into northern Iraq against opposition groups based there. Any sustained outage raises the cost of KRG autonomy by increasing dependence on Baghdad for imported power and fuel, while limiting leverage in revenue-sharing talks. The strike occurs as US forces complete withdrawal, reducing rapid-response options for energy infrastructure protection.

Baghdad and Tehran share an interest in constraining KRG export routes that bypass central government control. Washington and the KRG share an interest in stable gas output that supports investment and reduces Iranian electricity imports. Attribution will determine whether the incident escalates into renewed US-Iran friction or remains an isolated probe of post-withdrawal deterrence. Grid operators have begun load-shedding schedules that will persist until alternate feedstock or repairs restore capacity.

Next reporting window is the KRG Ministry of Electricity's weekly production update due within seven days; sustained output below 30 percent of prior levels would confirm a multi-week disruption rather than a short repair cycle.

Sources (3)

  • [1]
    Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of Electricity Statement(https://gov.krd/moe)
  • [2]
    Saudi Energy Ministry Statement on Pipeline Incident(https://www.energy.gov.sa)
  • [3]
    Al Jazeera Reporting on Khor Mor Attack(https://www.aljazeera.com)