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Iraq Faces Nationwide Blackout Amid Rising Tensions

3/5/2026

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Story summary
  • Iraq experienced a nationwide blackout on March 4, 2026, amid tensions from the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, affecting 18 provinces.
  • The Ministry of Electricity attributed the outage to a technical malfunction and a fuel shortage at Rumaila gas power plant.
  • Explosions near Irbil International Airport prompted the U.S. Embassy to urge Americans to leave Iraq.
  • Power restoration began prioritizing hospitals and water stations, but the energy crisis is expected to persist.