ERBIL, Iraq (Dispatches) -- The United States has begun withdrawing its remaining forces from near Erbil International Airport in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, with Patriot air-defense systems already removed following precision Iranian strikes that rendered the American military position untenable.

Reports indicate that U.S. military convoys have been moving from Erbil toward neighboring countries in recent days, with the bulk of troops and heavy equipment already withdrawn. 

The removal of Patriot mobile air-defense systems — designed to intercept missiles and drones — has been confirmed by multiple sources, with all batteries reportedly redeployed to an undisclosed destination.

The official explanation presents the move as a routine redeployment consistent with Washington’s obligation to remove all U.S. forces from Iraq by September 30. 

However, satellite imagery dated July 16 and July 24 shows Patriot launchers at Erbil International Airport destroyed following Iranian drone strikes. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced the destruction of a Patriot system as part of Operation Nasr-2, carried out under the code phrase “Ya Aba Saleh al-Mahdi, Adrikni”.

The devastating strikes exposed the vulnerability of American air defenses. Each Patriot interceptor costs millions of dollars, while Iran’s Shahed-136 drones used in the attacks are estimated at thousands each — an economic imbalance that made continued U.S. presence unsustainable. 

This is part of a broader depletion of American resources: 55 percent of U.S. Patriot stockpiles had been depleted by

 April, with a further 10 percent reduction following the collapse of the ceasefire.
The Kurdistan Region has endured nearly 1,000 drone and missile attacks since February 28, killing 32 people and wounding around 150. The attacks targeted the U.S. Consulate, coalition forces at Erbil International Airport, and bases of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups. 
Recent attacks have also disrupted energy supplies, causing fuel shortages and power outages across the region.
Kifah Mahmoud, media adviser to the Kurdistan Democratic Party president, described reports of withdrawal as “not entirely accurate” and a “considerable misunderstanding,” while acknowledging a planned drawdown had begun. 
However, Kurdish sources expressed concern about being abandoned again, noting that “Kurds generally say they have no friends but the mountains where they live”.
The withdrawal also carries implications for Israeli intelligence activities in the region. The Kurdistan Region has served as a haven for Israeli spying and malicious operations against Iran, which has been a key reason Iran has targeted the area.