US does not believe consulate in Iraq was target of Iranian missile strike

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Sunday said the U.S. does not believe the American consulate in Iraq was the target of an Iranian missile strike that morning, instead calling it an attack on Iraq's sovereignty.

"We do not believe the consulate was the target of this attack... this was an attack on Iraq's sovereignty," Sherman said during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

A dozen ballistic missile strikes hit Erbil, the northern Kurdish regional capital of Iraq, early on Sunday, which the Iranian Revolutionary Guards took responsibility for, according to Reuters.

The strike reportedly left material damage and injured one civilian, Reuters reported, citing the Kurdish interior ministry.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards wrote in a statement that the offensive was against Israeli "strategic centres" in Erbil, Reuters reported, citing Iran's state media.

"Any repetition of attacks by Israel will be met with a harsh, decisive and destructive response," the Iranian Revolutionary Guards added.

A Kurdish spokesperson for the regional authorities said the missile strikes on Sunday were not aimed at a foreign base, but were instead intended to hit civilian residential areas, according to Reuters. The spokesperson asked the international community to look into the incident.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said no Americans were injured in the strikes and no U.S. facilities in Erbil were damaged, but called the incident an "outrageous attack," according to the news wire.

The missile strikes came as the international community is working to revive the nuclear deal with Iran. Those efforts, however, have been thrown into doubt amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.