ISTANBUL

A drone launched by Iran-linked Shia militias in Iraq crashed at Baghdad International Airport, where the US Victoria military base is located, according to media reports on Friday.

According to the reports, another drone struck a power plant in the Abu Ghraib area west of Baghdad, causing power outages.

There were no immediate reports of casualties following the incident.

The strikes came as tensions across the Middle East have flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including the then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets, resulting in casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure and affecting global markets and aviation.