Baghdad faced a major security incident early Tuesday as rockets and drones struck near the US embassy in the heavily fortified Green Zone.
Iraqi security sources describe it as the most intense attack since the outbreak of the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
According to Iraqi security officials, at least five drones and several rockets were fired toward the US embassy from surrounding areas of Baghdad. Witnesses reported seeing three drones heading directly toward the embassy.
The embassy’s C-RAM air defense system intercepted two drones, while a third struck inside the compound, causing visible fire and smoke. Reuters confirmed that embassy mobile phones were switched off when contacted for comment.
Casualties and explosions in Baghdad
The violence comes amid ongoing clashes between US forces and Iran-backed militias. At least four people were killed during an air raid on a building used by an Iran-aligned group in Baghdad’s Jadiriya district.
Security sources noted multiple explosions rocked parts of the capital, prompting Iraqi authorities to deploy forces and close the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies.
The attacks follow recent escalations involving Iran-backed militias. Kataib Hezbollah announced the death of a senior commander, and the Popular Mobilization Forces reported that airstrikes killed at least eight fighters near al-Qaim, close to the Syrian border.
Officials suggest the strikes on the US embassy are part of ongoing retaliation by Iranian-aligned groups against US interests in Iraq.
Iraqi forces, along with the embassy’s security teams, remain on high alert. Videos verified by Al Jazeera show smoke rising from the embassy and air defenses actively intercepting drones above Baghdad.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident, assessing both the immediate threat to embassy staff and the potential for further escalations.
