An Iranian drone attack has hit Azerbaijan’s autonomous Nakhchivan exclave, opening another front in the ongoing conflict that began after attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation. The incident has raised tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan and comes amid a wider escalation of military activity across the region.

According to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the attack occurred around 12 noon (08:00 GMT) on Thursday. Authorities said drones launched from Iranian territory targeted locations in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which borders Iran and Turkiye.

In an official statement, the ministry explained the damage caused by the attack. It said, “One drone struck the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad.”

The Azerbaijani government strongly condemned the strikes and directly blamed Iran for the incident. The ministry said, “We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Authorities reported that the strikes injured two civilians and caused material damage to the airport infrastructure. The government also demanded clarification from Iran over the incident. In its statement, the ministry said it expects “a clear explanation” from Tehran and stressed that Azerbaijan “reserves the right to take appropriate response measures.”

Following the attack, Azerbaijan summoned Iran’s ambassador to the country, Mojtaba Demirchilou, to explain the situation. The diplomatic move highlights the seriousness of the incident and the rising tension between the two neighbouring countries.

Nakhchivan is a strategically important exclave of Azerbaijan that shares borders with Iran and Turkiye. The territory has gained renewed attention after a historic United States-brokered peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan last year. The agreement aimed to resolve long-standing tensions between the two countries and included plans for a new land corridor.

The proposed route, referred to as the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), would connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave while creating a transit passage between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The project also gives the United States development rights for the route.

However, Iran has strongly opposed the corridor, which is also known as the Zangezur corridor. Tehran fears the project could isolate it from Armenia and the wider Caucasus region. Iranian authorities have also expressed concern that the corridor could allow foreign forces close to its borders.

Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar explained the background of tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan. He said that Iran has long accused the Azerbaijani government of cooperating closely with Israel. According to him, “Iran has long been accusing the Azeri government of turning Azerbaijan into an Israeli spy base.”

Serdar also said Iran believes Azerbaijan’s leadership is threatening its security from the north. He added, “They are accusing [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev of undermining Iran’s security from its northern border.”

According to the reporter, Iranian officials have previously warned Azerbaijan about the issue. “Iran said multiple times that if Azerbaijan did not stop, it would be punished,” Serdar said.

He further explained that the drone strikes appeared to be a signal from Iran directed at the Azerbaijani government. “Iran is engaging in a conflict with neighbouring countries,” Serdar said, adding, “the Gulf, Turkiye and now Azerbaijan.”

The incident also comes as the broader conflict between Iran and its opponents continues to spread across the region. Reports indicate that Iranian drones have targeted several locations in different countries during the ongoing war.

Among the reported incidents, a United States military base near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq was targeted by Iranian drones. In Qatar, the country’s Ministry of Defence said air defence systems intercepted a missile attack, while explosions were heard in the skies above Doha.

Saudi Arabia also reported intercepting a drone near the al-Jawf region, and Oman Oil Marketing Company said one of its storage tanks was damaged in an incident linked to the regional escalation.

Earlier in the week, Turkiye’s Ministry of National Defence stated that a ballistic missile launched from Iran towards Turkish airspace had been destroyed by NATO air and missile defence systems over the eastern Mediterranean after passing through Syria and Iraq. Iran’s armed forces later denied firing any missiles towards Turkish territory.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country was taking precautions in consultation with NATO allies. He stated that Turkiye was issuing “warnings in the clearest terms to prevent similar incidents from happening again.”

At the same time, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has intensified, marking another development in the wider regional war. Heavy Israeli bombardment and military activity have reignited the conflict along Israel’s northern border.

The drone attack in Nakhchivan therefore, reflects the expanding nature of the conflict, with several countries across the region now experiencing military incidents linked to the growing confrontation involving Iran and its opponents.