"US Troops Under Fire: Drone Strikes and Casualties Escalate in Northern Iraq"

An armed drone targeting Erbil airport in northern Iraq, where U.S. and international forces are stationed, was shot down by Iraqi forces. The Kurdistan Counter Terrorism group reported the incident, which occurred without immediate reports of damage or casualties. This event follows a similar drone attack days earlier and occurs in a context of frequent attacks on U.S. forces in the region. Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group is returning to the U.S. after being deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea amidst tensions in the Middle East.