Baghdad (Web Desk/Agencies): A missile strike hit the United States (US) Embassy in Baghdad, sending thick black smoke into the sky, the international media reported.
This marks the second attack on the mission since February 28, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that have triggered a broader Gulf crisis, sending shockwaves through the global economy.
Journalists on the ground in Baghdad reported clouds of dark smoke rising from the embassy as the conflict intensifies.
The fighting has displaced millions and claimed more than 1,200 lives in Iran, with no indication that hostilities are slowing as the confrontation enters its third week.
At the same time, plumes of smoke were seen over Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, home to a key oil storage and export hub, after Iran’s military urged civilians to stay away from port areas.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz described the fighting as entering a “decisive phase” but warned it would continue “as long as necessary.”
Despite facing the superior firepower of the US and Israel, Iran has continued to strike back, launching missile and drone attacks on at least ten neighboring countries and disrupting traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Israel’s military issued evacuation orders for an industrial area near Tabriz in northern Iran, signaling a potential strike in the region.
The Baghdad embassy attack came after US forces targeted Kataeb Hezbollah, an influential Iran-backed militia, killing two members, including a key figure, according to security sources.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said that the US forces had attacked Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s largest oil export facility, destroying all military targets while leaving energy infrastructure untouched.
Iranian media confirmed that oil installations remained intact, despite Tehran’s warnings that any US-linked energy assets would be “turned into a pile of ashes” if struck.
Iran’s ongoing threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have effectively halted traffic along a route that normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.