Attack on US Embassy in Baghdad Sparks Fire
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Baghdad, March 17 (NationPress) - A fire erupted within the US Embassy grounds in Baghdad's Green Zone following an early morning attack on Tuesday. Two explosive-laden drones breached the embassy's perimeter, triggering explosions that generated flames clearly visible from outside the complex, according to an anonymous source in Iraq's Interior Ministry.
During the attack, sirens blared throughout the complex, yet the embassy's defensive measures failed to intercept the incoming drones, as reported by Xinhua.
There have been no immediate reports of casualties; however, the fire suggests significant material damage to the embassy's facilities.
The embassy experienced multiple assaults from Monday night into the early hours of Tuesday.
Footage captured during the incident showed a drone detonating mere feet from the compound, revealing vulnerabilities in the C-RAM defense systems.
The Green Zone, located in central Baghdad, houses key Iraqi government buildings, the parliament, and various foreign missions, including the US embassy. This heavily fortified area has been a frequent target for rocket and mortar attacks in recent years.
In a separate incident, late Monday, two drones targeted the Majnoon oil field in southern Iraq, according to the oil ministry. Spokesperson Saheb Bazoun indicated that one drone hit a telecommunications tower without causing damage, while the other targeted the offices of a US company at the site, confirmed by a security official.
Earlier on the same day, the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) reported that six members were killed and four injured in an Israeli strike in the Anbar province. The PMF stated that the attack targeted a checkpoint in al-Qaim, near the Syrian border, describing it as an "official security site" where the casualties occurred while the members were "performing their duty to protect the land and sovereignty."