Istanbul / Laith al-Janidi / Anadolu

Iraq's National Security Service announced on Tuesday the dismantling of a drone manufacturing workshop and the arrest of three suspects in the operation inside the capital Baghdad.

The agency's Directorate of Relations and Media said in a statement that the operation was carried out based on precise intelligence information and under the direct supervision of the judge of the Third Investigative Court.

It explained that the raid led to the seizure of 25 drone frames, as well as equipment and tools used in assembly and production operations.

The statement added that the investigations also led to the seizure of a workshop containing panels and parts made of carbon material, and technical supplies used in manufacturing stages.

The agency confirmed that this attempt was thwarted before completion, noting that investigations continue to determine if the suspects have links to plots affecting national security, in preparation for referring them to the judiciary.

This operation comes amid repeated announcements by Iraqi authorities about vital targets and facilities being subjected to drone attacks, and in the midst of tense security conditions with continued escalation in the region between Washington and Tehran.

For days, the United States has been launching successive waves of strikes on sites inside Iran, while Tehran responds with attacks on 'American military bases and facilities and sites linked to Washington' in regional countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan.

This comes despite Washington and Tehran signing a memorandum of understanding on June 18, which included a ceasefire and the start of negotiations to reach a broader agreement.

However, US President Donald Trump announced on July 8 the end of the ceasefire after Iran targeted three ships in the Strait of Hormuz, leading Washington to resume its strikes inside Iran amid escalating responses from Tehran in the region.

Washington demands ensuring freedom of navigation and its security in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran insists on imposing a mechanism to regulate the passage of ships through the strategic corridor, exacerbating fears of disruption to oil and gas exports from the region.