A missile strike has hit the United States Embassy Baghdad in Baghdad, causing smoke to rise from the diplomatic compound and raising further security concerns amid the escalating regional conflict.
According to an Iraqi security source cited by Al Jazeera, the attack damaged a portion of the embassy’s air defense system, but officials did not immediately provide specifics about the extent of the damage.
According to security officials, a missile hit a helipad inside the embassy compound. The projectile reportedly landed on the embassy grounds after entering the heavily fortified Green Zone Baghdad, which houses Iraqi government institutions and several foreign diplomatic missions.
There was no immediate statement from the U.S. embassy regarding casualties or damage. Videos shared on social media appeared to show smoke rising from within the compound shortly after the strike.
Reporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera correspondent Mahmoud Abdelwahed said it was still unclear whether anyone had been injured. He noted: “But we understand that Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq have always pledged to attack US facilities, especially the embassy.”
According to the report, these groups have said they want to avenge the killing of Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed alongside family members in a U.S.-Israeli strike earlier in the conflict. Abdelwahed added that some armed groups had recently issued threats targeting U.S. personnel in Iraq.
He said: “Yesterday, they issued a statement putting $100,000 as a reward to anyone who provides information leading to any US diplomatic personnel inside the country.” The latest strike marks the second attack on the embassy since the beginning of the war.
On Friday, March 13, the U.S. embassy renewed its highest security warning for Iraq, advising American citizens to avoid travel to the country due to ongoing threats. The embassy complex in Baghdad is one of the largest U.S. diplomatic facilities in the world and has previously been targeted by rocket and drone attacks.
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