BAGHDAD: The U.S. embassy in Baghdad came under attack on Saturday, following airstrikes that reportedly killed three members of a prominent Iran-backed group in the city, according to security sources.
Iraq, often seen as a battleground for U.S. and Iran tensions, has found itself caught in a wider conflict that escalated after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
Witnesses reported seeing thick black smoke rising from the U.S. embassy shortly after a series of explosions rang out on Saturday morning. Two security officials informed a news agency that the embassy was hit by a drone.
The embassy has not commented on the incident, which marks the second attack on the diplomatic mission since the onset of the recent conflict.
Various armed groups backed by Iran, labeled as “terrorist organizations” by Washington, have formed a coalition called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. This coalition has been active in launching daily drone and rocket attacks against U.S. bases not only in Iraq but across the region.
Since fighting began, numerous attacks targeting these groups throughout Iraq have been attributed to U.S. and Israeli forces.
The embassy attack came shortly after U.S. strikes targeted the powerful Iran-aligned group, Kataeb Hezbollah, killing three of its members, including a commander. The first strike hit a residence in the Arasat neighborhood, a known stronghold for Iran-affiliated groups. A second strike targeted a vehicle two hours later.
Initial reports indicated that two members of the group died in the strikes, but later updates confirmed a total of three fatalities, all from the initial attack.
Kataeb Hezbollah held a funeral for the fallen fighters, which included commander Abou Ali al-Amiri. Some local media have claimed that the group’s top leader, Ahmad al-Hamidawi, may have been injured in the strikes, although this information has not been verified.
A local resident stated that no one in the area realized the modest home was linked to Kataeb Hezbollah. Meanwhile, there has been no comment from the group about the assaults, and it remains unclear who might be responsible for the strikes against them.
