The United States Embassy in Baghdad was struck by a missile on Saturday, sending smoke rising from the sprawling diplomatic compound and escalating tensions in a region already shaken by war. The attack damaged part of the embassy complex and prompted an urgent warning for American citizens in Iraq to leave the country immediately.
According to Iraqi security officials, the missile landed on a helipad inside the embassy grounds located in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone. The district houses key Iraqi government institutions and numerous foreign embassies and is considered one of the most secure areas in the capital.
Officials speaking anonymously told The Associated Press that the projectile struck within the embassy’s perimeter, causing visible damage. An Iraqi security source also told reporters that part of the embassy’s air defense system was destroyed in the strike, though further details about the damage were not immediately available.
Videos shared on social media appeared to show smoke rising from the embassy compound shortly after the attack. Authorities have not confirmed whether there were casualties or provided a full assessment of the damage.
Hours after the incident, the U.S. Embassy issued a security alert urging American citizens in Iraq to depart the country as soon as possible. The warning cited a “significant threat” posed by Iran-aligned militia groups operating in the region.
“U.S. citizens choosing to remain in Iraq are strongly encouraged to reconsider in light of the significant threat posed by Iran-aligned terrorist militia groups,” the embassy said in its advisory.
The strike marks the second attack targeting the embassy since the start of the current conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The sprawling embassy compound, one of the largest U.S. diplomatic facilities in the world, has frequently been the target of rocket and drone attacks in recent years.
Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq have repeatedly vowed to target American facilities in the country. Some groups say the attacks are retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several family members in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike earlier in the war.
Regional tensions have continued to mount as armed groups aligned with Tehran increase attacks on U.S. bases and facilities. These groups are loosely organized under a coalition known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has claimed responsibility for numerous drone and rocket strikes across the region.
The latest attack came shortly after airstrikes hit positions belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed militia that operates as part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces. Security sources said three members of the group were killed in those strikes.
Iraq has long served as a battleground for indirect conflict between the United States and Iran. Since U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iranian targets on February 28, the country has once again been pulled into the widening regional war, with both sides carrying out attacks against each other’s allies and positions.
