In the early hours of November 26, 2025, a drone strike rocked the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, transforming a vital energy hub into a scene of chaos and flames. The attack, described by Iraqi authorities as a “treacherous terrorist” assault, has halted operations at one of the country’s largest natural gas facilities, plunging swaths of northern Iraq into darkness and underscoring the fragile security landscape in the oil-rich north.
The Strike: A Midnight Assault
The incident unfolded around 11:30 p.m. local time (10:30 p.m. Israel time) when an unidentified drone slammed into storage tanks at the Khor Mor facility, located in the Chamchamal district near Sulaymaniyah, between Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah. Security sources reported that the strike ignited a massive fire, engulfing a main storage unit and sending plumes of black smoke billowing into the night sky. Videos circulating on social media captured the blaze’s intensity, with flames leaping high and audible explosions echoing through the facility.
This was no isolated event. Just two days prior, on November 24, Iraqi Kurdish security forces had intercepted another drone approaching the site, firing on it to prevent a strike. The rapid succession of attacks highlights a pattern of escalating threats against critical infrastructure in the region.
Field engineers and officials confirmed that the impact wounded several workers, though initial reports from Iraq’s Security Media Cell emphasized no fatalities. As of Thursday morning, firefighting teams from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Civil Defense were still battling the blaze, which a source at the facility described as uncontrolled. “The fire is still active,” the anonymous worker told reporters, underscoring the ongoing peril.
Immediate Fallout: Power Grid in Peril
Khor Mor is the lifeblood of Kurdistan’s energy sector, supplying the vast majority of natural gas feedstock to regional power stations. The facility’s sudden shutdown severed all gas exports, triggering widespread blackouts across Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and surrounding areas. Estimates suggest the loss equates to approximately 3,000 megawatts of electricity—up to 80% of the region’s power capacity—leaving hospitals, homes, and businesses in the dark.
The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Natural Resources and Electricity Ministries issued a joint statement late Wednesday: “We inform the citizens of the Kurdistan region that tonight at 11:30 p.m., due to a drone attack on the Khor Mor field, all gas exports to power stations were halted.” The outage is expected to exacerbate Iraq’s chronic energy shortages, particularly as winter approaches and demand for heating surges. Iraq, OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, has long sought to ramp up domestic gas output to reduce reliance on imports from Iran, making Khor Mor’s role indispensable.
Dana Gas, the UAE-based operator of the field through the Pearl Petroleum consortium (which holds a 70% stake alongside Crescent Petroleum), confirmed the suspension in a statement: “Production at the Khor Mor gas field remains shut down to extinguish the fire and conduct a situational assessment after a ‘rocket’ attack targeted the facility.” The company, which has invested heavily in expanding the site’s capacity, did not specify a timeline for resumption.
A Field Under Siege: Historical Context
Khor Mor has been a recurring target for militants, reflecting deeper geopolitical tensions in Iraq’s fractured north. The field, operational since 2008, processes up to 500 million cubic feet of gas daily and has been pivotal in Kurdistan’s push for energy independence. However, its proximity to disputed territories and Iran-backed militia strongholds has made it a flashpoint.
Past incidents paint a grim picture: In July 2022, rocket barrages struck the site four times in two months, sparking grass fires and briefly halting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) loading. Kurdish authorities have frequently blamed Iran-aligned groups, such as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), for these assaults, which they view as sabotage against Erbil’s economic autonomy. Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), condemned the latest strike on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “cowardly attack” and urging Baghdad to pursue justice: “The usual terrorists or whoever may be behind tonight’s attacks cannot be allowed to repeat these crimes or be released on bail, as in the past.”
No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s drone strike, but speculation abounds. Some unverified social media posts, including from OSINT accounts, have pointed fingers at Turkish drones—a claim that aligns with Ankara’s ongoing operations against Kurdish militants but lacks substantiation from official sources. Others suggest involvement by Iran-backed factions, given the field’s role in weaning Iraq off Tehran’s gas supplies. Iraq’s Joint Operations Command has vowed a thorough investigation, but the absence of immediate accountability only fuels regional anxieties.
Broader Implications: Energy Security and Regional Stability
The attack comes at a precarious moment for Iraq, where political gridlock between Baghdad and Erbil over oil revenues already strains relations. Khor Mor’s disruption could delay a $640 million expansion project, partially funded by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, aimed at doubling output by 2026. For everyday Kurds, the blackouts mean more than inconvenience—they signal vulnerability in a region scarred by decades of conflict.
Economically, the ripple effects could extend beyond Kurdistan. Iraq’s gas self-sufficiency drive is central to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s agenda, and repeated sabotage risks deterring foreign investors like Dana Gas. On the geopolitical front, the strike may draw international scrutiny, especially from the UAE, whose firms dominate the consortium, and the U.S., which views stable Iraqi energy as key to countering Iranian influence.
As Civil Defense teams race against time to douse the flames, questions linger: Who orchestrated this assault, and how long until Khor Mor’s lights flicker back on? In a land where energy is power, Wednesday’s fire was more than a blaze—it was a stark reminder of the tinderbox that is modern Iraq. Authorities promise swift action, but for now, the shadows of blackout deepen.