Several Western nations, including France, Norway, Germany, Sweden, and Italy, have repositioned troops from Erbil Air Base in Iraq’s Kurdistan region amid fears of Iranian retaliation following potential US strikes. The redeployment comes as Washington positions 100 aerial refueling tankers, carrier strike groups, and fighter jets in the region, while President Trump has not ruled out military action if nuclear negotiations with Tehran fail.

The Kurdistan region, including Erbil’s airport, has faced drone, rocket, and ballistic missile attacks from Iran and its proxies since 2018, targeting oil fields and opposition groups. Analysts warn that any US-Iran or Iran-Israel conflict could spread to the region. Iran’s UN ambassador recently warned that all US bases and assets in the region would be legitimate targets if Tehran is attacked. While US and Hungarian troops have largely remained, Norwegian, Swedish, Italian, and French forces have departed as a precautionary measure.

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