March 7 - Katyusha rockets were fired at the U.S. embassy compound in central Baghdad on Saturday, with nearby explosions heard around 9 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) and sirens urging people to take cover, security sources and witnesses said.
Early accounts were uncertain about whether the projectiles caused damage or produced casualties. A senior Iraqi security official later told authorities that Iraq's C-RAM defence system had intercepted one of the incoming rockets and that none of the rounds landed inside the embassy precinct. The official also reported there were no American casualties.
The incident marks the first recorded attack on the embassy in more than two years. The last documented strike on the compound occurred in late 2023, when about seven mortar rounds landed inside the grounds amid a series of assaults carried out by Iran-aligned militias on U.S. targets in Iraq and Syria tied to Washington's support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Security sources and witnesses described explosions in the vicinity of the diplomatic mission at around 9 p.m., followed by sirens warning civilians and personnel to seek cover. Officials have not provided additional details on damage to infrastructure or non-U.S. casualties beyond the senior security official's statement that none of the rockets impacted inside the embassy and that no American lives were lost.
Analysts and officials have linked the strike to Iran-aligned Iraqi militias, some of which have communicated vows to retaliate for the killing of Iran's supreme leader. Those groups have previously targeted U.S. military bases in Iraqi Kurdistan and U.S. energy interests; this event suggests their operations now include the U.S. Embassy as a target.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has ordered security forces to pursue and apprehend those responsible for launching the projectiles. In a statement released by his office, he characterized the attackers as "rogue groups operating outside the law that do not represent the will of the Iraqi people." Security agencies have been directed to track down the perpetrators and to bring them to justice.
Context and next steps: Iraqi security forces have been tasked with investigating the origin of the rockets and identifying the individuals or cells responsible. Officials have confirmed the use of air-defence systems during the incident and have reported no U.S. fatalities. Further information on any property damage or non-U.S. casualties has not been provided.