- officials also confirmed to Associated Press that a missile landed inside the embassy complex, striking a helipad within the compound
- Footage circulating on social media showed smoke rising from the area shortly after the strike
- The large embassy complex, one of the biggest US diplomatic missions globally, has previously been the target of rocket and drone attacks
A missile strike has hit the United States Embassy in Baghdad, sending smoke rising from the diplomatic compound located in the heavily fortified Green Zone.
An Iraqi security source told Al Jazeera on Saturday that the attack damaged part of the embassy’s air defence system, although full details were not immediately disclosed, Eko Hot Blog gathered.
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Security officials also confirmed to Associated Press that a missile landed inside the embassy complex, striking a helipad within the compound. The projectile fell within the secure district in central Baghdad that houses major government institutions and foreign diplomatic missions.
There was no immediate response from the US Embassy regarding the incident, and authorities have yet to confirm whether there were casualties or the extent of the damage.
Footage circulating on social media showed smoke rising from the area shortly after the strike.
Reporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera correspondent Mahmoud Abdelwahed said officials had not yet provided clear information about injuries or structural damage.
According to the report, armed groups in Iraq that are aligned with Iran have repeatedly vowed to target US facilities in the country.
The groups claim their actions are in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly assassinated alongside family members in a joint strike by the United States and Israel at the beginning of the current conflict.
Some of the armed factions reportedly offered a reward for information about US diplomatic personnel in Iraq, with reports suggesting that certain embassy staff members have taken shelter outside official facilities for safety.
The latest strike marks the second attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad since the conflict escalated.
Earlier on Friday, the embassy issued a Level 4 security alert, warning that Iran-backed groups could continue targeting American citizens, infrastructure, and diplomatic interests in the country.
The large embassy complex, one of the biggest US diplomatic missions globally, has previously been the target of rocket and drone attacks.
Several pro-Iran militias operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have claimed responsibility for frequent drone and rocket strikes on US bases across the region.
Tensions have intensified further after recent airstrikes reportedly hit positions linked to the Iran-backed group Kataib Hezbollah, killing two of its members, including a senior operative.
Iraq has long served as a battleground for rivalry between the United States and Iran, and the country is once again facing escalating attacks from both sides as the broader regional conflict continues to unfold.
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