Breakdown of energy supply systems

Iraq has been hit by a nationwide power outage, the country’s Electricity Ministry said on Wednesday, as regional tensions continue to rise. "The power grid has completely shut down across all Iraqi provinces," the ministry said, according to the state-run Iraqi News Agency. Officials said efforts were under way to restore power stations and transmission lines, while the cause of the blackout was being investigated.
Parts of Iraq have faced repeated attacks since the conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran escalated.
Security concerns intensified on Wednesday when two drones were shot down near Baghdad International Airport, according to Iraqi security sources. The incident came just hours after a similar reported attack on the same facility.
"Two drones were downed near Baghdad airport, with no casualties or material damage reported," one source said.
Baghdad airport hosts a military base that includes a US diplomatic facility and previously accommodated US-led coalition forces.
Explosions were also reported in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region. Loud blasts were heard mainly near Erbil airport, which also hosts US-led coalition troops. Drones have been repeatedly intercepted over the city since the conflict began. The region is home to a large US consulate complex.
The US embassy in Baghdad has urged American citizens to leave the country.
"US citizens in Iraq are strongly encouraged to depart as soon as they are safely able to do so, and shelter in place until such time as conditions are safe to depart," the embassy said in a post on X.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had carried out strikes against armed opposition groups hostile to Tehran in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region.