BAGHDAD — The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone came under a coordinated rocket attack on Saturday night, marking a sharp escalation in violence as the military confrontation between the U.S.-Israeli coalition and Iran enters a volatile second week.
Sirens wailed across the Iraqi capital as the embassy’s C-RAM automated defense systems engaged incoming projectiles. According to Iraqi security sources, at least four rockets were launched toward the diplomatic compound. Three were successfully intercepted in mid-air, while a fourth reportedly impacted an open area near the embassy’s perimeter.
While no casualties or significant structural damage were immediately reported, the strike has effectively ended a period of relative quiet for the mission and signaled a new phase of the regional conflict on Iraqi soil.
The attack follows the seismic events of February 28, when joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes targeted high-level Iranian leadership. Since the outbreak of hostilities, the State Department had already ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from both the Baghdad embassy and the consulate in Erbil, citing “imminent threats” from pro-Iranian militias.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the shelling as a “terrorist act” that undermines Iraq’s sovereignty. He has reportedly ordered an immediate investigation to track down the launch sites, which are believed to be located in the outskirts of eastern Baghdad—a known stronghold for paramilitary groups.
The atmosphere in Baghdad remains electric. Pro-Iran protesters have continued to clash with local security forces near Tahrir Square, while the U.S. military has shifted to its highest force protection level across all bases in the country.
With routine consular services now indefinitely suspended, the embassy has been transformed into a virtual fortress. Military analysts warn that if such “harassment fire” continues, it may only be a matter of time before the U.S. launches retaliatory strikes against militia infrastructure within Iraq.
