President Macron described the assault as "unacceptable” and stated that "war in Iran cannot justify such attacks,” signaling Paris’s concern over regional escalation. The French army said the six injured soldiers were evacuated to a nearby medical facility, though the extent of their injuries has not been disclosed.

The incident occurred hours after a separate attack targeted an Italian military base in Kurdistan. Omid Khoshnaw, the Erbil governor, confirmed the drone strike took place in the Machmur area, highlighting the increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles in northern Iraq. A statement from the Italian Defense Ministry described their base’s strike as deliberate, aimed at NATO personnel stationed in the region.

On the ground, local residents reported seeing black smoke rising from the strike site and hearing intermittent sirens. 

France maintains hundreds of troops in Erbil as part of a broader coalition combating Islamic State militants. 

Macron recently outlined plans to bolster maritime security, announcing the deployment of 12 warships to the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and potentially the Strait of Hormuz. "Our goal is to maintain a strict defensive posture, support states targeted by Iran, and ensure freedom of navigation and maritime security,” he said following meetings with Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Paphos.

Analysts note the attacks could further strain NATO operations in Iraq and complicate European-led maritime missions such as Operation Asphodelis, aimed at protecting commercial shipping from regional threats. 

For local communities around Erbil, heightened drone activity raises immediate security concerns and disrupts daily commerce, reinforcing the fragile security environment in northern Iraq.