Baghdad: Salvoes of rockets were launched on Friday at the US embassy in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, the mission said, the latest in a flurry of such attacks amid Israel’s bombardment of Gaza for the October 7 attack by Hamas.
“A multi-rocket attack was launched at US and coalition forces in the vicinity of Union III and the Baghdad embassy complex” without causing any reported casualties or damage, a US official said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The United States leads an international coalition battling fighters in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, and its forces have come under repeated attacks in recent weeks.
The attacks come against the backdrop of the more than two-month fightinh between US ally Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the US embassy said “two salvoes of rockets” were fired at the mission compound at around 4:15am (1:15am GMT).
“Indications are the attacks were initiated by Iran-aligned militias,” said a US spokesperson. “We again call on the government of Iraq … to do all in its power to protect diplomatic and coalition partner personnel and facilities.
“We reiterate that we reserve the right to self-defence and to protect our personnel anywhere in the world,” the spokesperson added. But Friday’s rocket attack was the first against the US embassy in Baghdad since the crisis began on October 7, raising regional tensions and fears of a wider conflict.
Since mid-October, there have been dozens of rocket or drone strikes by pro-Iran groups against US or coalition forces in Iraq as well as in Syria.
