Explosions rock American military base in Iraq hours after U.S. ended 13th night of strikes on Iran | 24 July 2026 | A series of explosions broke out near a military base hosting U.S. forces in northern Iraq, hours after the U.S. military said it had wrapped up its 13th night of strikes against Iran. A journalist with the Associated Press heard at least seven blasts around 9.30am local time in the city of Irbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, and observed at least four plumes of black smoke rising into the sky from areas near or inside the base. The U.S. and Iran have exchanged escalating strikes in fighting that began with a struggle over control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Bahrain activated its sirens twice later that morning, warning residents to shelter from detected incoming fire. Gulf states have also come under frequent fire over the past week.