DUBAI - Iran said on Tuesday it had launched ballistic missiles at targets in Iraq and Syria in defence of its sovereignty and security as well as to counter terrorism.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they attacked the "spy headquarters" of Israel in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region late on Monday, in addition to also striking in Syria against the Islamic State.

Iraq has summoned the Iranian chargé d'affaires in Baghdad on Tuesday to protest against the attacks in Kurdistan, the Iraqi state news agency reported on Tuesday.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said Tehran respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries but at the same time was using its "legitimate and legal right to deter national security threats".

"After the enemy miscalculated by targeting the Islamic Republic, Iran retaliated with its high intelligence capability in a precise and targeted operation against the culprits' headquarters," Kanaani added.

Iraq condemned Iran's "aggression" on Erbil that led to civilian casualties in residential areas, according to a statement by the country's foreign ministry.

The Iraqi government would take all legal measures, including filing a complaint at the United Nations Security Council, said the statement. REUTERS