Iranian Drone Strikes Hit Azerbaijan's Exclave, Injuring Two Civilians

An airport and school in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan's exclave territory, were struck by drones launched from Iran, injuring two people.

According to AP, AFP, and Reuters on Sunday local time, two drones were launched from Iran. One exploded after hitting an airport building in Nakhchivan, while another fell on a nearby school, injuring two civilians, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said.

Nakhchivan is an exclave separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenia and shares a border with Iran. The Nakhchivan airport is located approximately 10 kilometers from the Iranian border.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a protest. "This attack on Azerbaijani territory violates international law norms and principles and escalates regional tensions," the ministry said in a statement, strongly condemning the strike.

Iran's Armed Forces General Staff denied the allegations in a statement, saying it "did not launch drones toward Azerbaijan." The statement added: "Such actions by the Zionist regime (Israel) to disrupt relations between Muslim nations are nothing new."

Since being struck preemptively by the United States and Israel on April 28, Iran has been conducting airstrikes using drones and missiles against neighboring Middle Eastern countries. A day earlier, an Iranian missile was intercepted and shot down in the airspace of Türkiye, a NATO member state.