US Pulls Last Patriot Batteries From Erbil, Leaving Iraq Without Air Defense Ahead of Oct 1 Exit

The US-led coalition removed its last Patriot and C-RAM air-defense systems from the Kurdistan Region around Erbil as part of the full withdrawal due to complete by September 30, PM security adviser Qasim al-Araji confirmed, ending systems that had been intercepting Iranian missile and drone attacks on US positions in the region. Security analyst Maan al-Jubouri said 'the impact of the absence of the air-defence system in Iraq will have a direct and significant impact in the region,' with the gap also increasing exposure along Iranian attack corridors toward Jordan, Syria and Israel. Iraqi Defence Ministry spokesman Maj Gen Yahya Rasool said Baghdad now aims to stand up its own national air-defense network within three years — down from an original six-year timeline — but acknowledged that building the equipment, expertise and training takes years, leaving a defense vacuum in the interim.