The United States Embassy in Baghdad came under attack early Saturday following deadly strikes that killed two members of a powerful Iran-backed armed group in the Iraqi capital, according to local security sources.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions in Baghdad, as Iraq continues to find itself caught in the middle of escalating hostilities between United States and Iran.
Witnesses reported hearing loud explosions near the heavily fortified diplomatic zone early Saturday morning. An AFP journalist at the scene said a thick cloud of black smoke was seen rising above the US diplomatic compound shortly after the blasts.
Two Iraqi security officials told AFP that the embassy complex had been struck, although the exact nature of the attack remains unclear. One official suggested the facility may have been hit by a drone, while another said a projectile, believed to be a rocket, landed within the embassy compound. Another report indicated that a projectile may have landed near the embassy’s airbase area.
Officials at the US embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the incident.
Second Attack Since Regional Conflict Escalated
The attack marks the second time the US diplomatic mission in Baghdad has been targeted since the escalation of hostilities following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which triggered a broader regional conflict.
Several Iran-aligned armed factions operating in Iraq have since intensified attacks on American facilities and military bases across the region.
These groups operate under a coalition known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella movement that has claimed responsibility for numerous drone and rocket attacks targeting US military installations.
Washington has designated several of the militias within this network as terrorist organisations.
Strikes Kill Kataeb Hezbollah Members
Saturday’s attack on the embassy came shortly after two separate strikes targeted the powerful Iran-backed militia Kataeb Hezbollah, killing two of its members, including a senior operative described by sources as a “key figure.”
According to a security source, the first strike occurred around 2:15 a.m. local time when a missile hit a house believed to be used by members of the group.
“A key figure was martyred in the strike, while two other members of the group were wounded,” the source said.
Roughly two hours later, another airstrike targeted a vehicle in eastern Baghdad, killing a member of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), also known locally as Hashed al-Shaabi.
A PMF official later confirmed to AFP that the individual killed in the vehicle strike was affiliated with Kataeb Hezbollah.
The Popular Mobilisation Forces were originally formed as a coalition of paramilitary units to combat extremist groups but have since been formally incorporated into Iraq’s state security structure. The organisation includes several brigades linked to Iran-backed militias.
No Claim of Responsibility
As of the time of reporting, no group has officially claimed responsibility for the strikes that killed the militia members, and the Kataeb Hezbollah leadership has yet to release a public statement on the incident.
Similarly, it remains unclear who carried out the airstrikes that preceded the embassy attack.
However, several attacks targeting Iran-aligned fighters in Iraq since the start of the regional conflict have been widely attributed to the United States and Israel.
Residents in parts of Baghdad reported hearing multiple explosions overnight, followed by the sound of ambulance sirens. Witnesses also said smoke was seen rising from the Arasat neighbourhood, an area where several Iran-backed groups are believed to maintain facilities.
The latest developments highlight the fragile security situation in Iraq, which has repeatedly been drawn into confrontations between regional and global powers operating in the Middle East.
