At least three rockets targeting the US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone struck this morning on the outskirts of the district where government institutions and diplomatic missions are located, an Iraqi security official said.
Questioned by AFP, a North American military official confirmed that alarms had been activated and “likely sounds of impacts” had been heard near the embassy and the Union III base, where international coalition forces are stationed in the Green Zone are housed.
This is the first attack on the US embassy in Baghdad since pro-Iranian armed groups launched dozens of rockets and unmanned aircraft (drone) attacks on US soldiers or deployed international coalition forces in Iraq or neighboring Syria in mid-October.
Since the ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, which ended on December 1, pro-Iranian armed groups have resumed attacks on US soldiers and international coalition forces.
These factions justify the attacks with Washington’s support for Israel.
Most of these attacks were claimed by the ‘Islamic Resistance in Iraq’, formed by armed groups linked to Hashd al-Shaabi, a coalition of former paramilitaries integrated into the regular armed forces.
In total, Washington has counted at least 78 attacks against its forces in Iraq and Syria since October 17, ten days after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, triggered by the Palestinian movement’s unprecedented attack on Israeli territory.
In retaliation, Washington confirmed several attacks on pro-Iranian fighters in Iraq.
On December 3, the international coalition said it had carried out a “self-defense attack” in Kirkuk province, in the north of the country, against “five fighters preparing to launch an attack drone,” according to a statement from the northern military command, America in the Middle East. The five were killed.
Washington also bombed sites linked to Iran in Syria three times.
Source: DN
