A missile strike has hit the United States Embassy Baghdad, sending smoke billowing from the diplomatic compound and heightening security concerns as regional tensions continue to escalate.
An Iraqi security source cited by Al Jazeera said the attack damaged part of the embassy’s air-defence system, though authorities did not immediately disclose the full extent of the damage.
Security officials also told the Associated Press that a missile struck a helipad located within the embassy grounds. The projectile reportedly landed inside the compound after penetrating the heavily fortified Green Zone Baghdad, an area that houses key Iraqi government buildings and several foreign diplomatic missions.
At the time of the report, the U.S. embassy had not released an official statement confirming casualties or detailing the level of damage. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show smoke rising from inside the compound shortly after the explosion.
Reporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera correspondent Mahmoud Abdelwahed said it was still uncertain 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 armed groups have said their actions are intended to avenge the killing of Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed along with family members in a U.S.–Israeli strike earlier in the conflict. Abdelwahed added that some of these factions 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 incident represents the second attack on the embassy since the conflict began.
On Friday, March 13, the embassy renewed its highest-level security advisory for Iraq, urging American citizens to avoid travelling to the country because of ongoing threats. The embassy complex in Baghdad is one of the largest U.S. diplomatic facilities globally and has been targeted multiple times in the past by rockets and drone attacks.
Several Iran-aligned armed groups operate in Iraq under a coalition known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Some factions within the alliance have previously claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. military installations and facilities across the region.
Saturday’s missile strike came shortly after two separate attacks targeted the Iran-backed militia Kataeb Hezbollah, reportedly killing two members of the group, including a senior commander, according to security sources.
Iraq has long been a flashpoint in the rivalry between the United States and Iran. Since the broader regional conflict began following U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, the country has increasingly become a stage for retaliatory actions carried out by both sides and their allied groups.