Explosions Rock Baghdad As Drone, Rocket Attack Targets US Embassy

Several loud explosions were heard Tuesday evening in Baghdad, with officials confirming that the United States Embassy in Baghdad was the target of a coordinated drone and rocket attack.

According to eyewitnesses and security sources, the blasts were linked to air defence systems intercepting incoming projectiles. One witness at a nearby restaurant said diners initially remained calm as the sounds echoed across the city, before it became clear that the explosions were interceptions.

Another resident reported seeing flames near the edge of the embassy compound from her balcony, with officials later confirming that the fire was caused by a drone strike.

“The embassy was the target of a drone and rocket attack,” a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Authorities also revealed that another drone aimed at a US diplomatic and logistics facility near Baghdad International Airport was successfully intercepted and shot down.

Shortly after the incident, the Iran-backed militia group Kataeb Hezbollah issued a statement calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq.

“Iraq’s instability is due to the malicious American presence, and security will not be achieved until the last foreign soldier leaves Iraqi territory,” the group’s security chief, Abou Moujahed al-Assaf, said.

He added: “Either everyone enjoys security, or no one does.”

Iraq has long been caught in the middle of tensions between the United States and Iran, often serving as a proxy battleground for both powers.

In recent months, strikes have targeted Iran-aligned groups, which have in turn claimed repeated attacks on US interests across Iraq and the wider region.

Security sources say there has been a surge in such incidents in recent days, with multiple attacks targeting both the US embassy—located in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone—and American-linked facilities near the international airport.

On Monday night into early Tuesday, additional attacks were reported on the US diplomatic mission, while a separate drone incident saw a device crash into a luxury hotel frequently used by foreign diplomats.