In the early hours of Friday, the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, home to the US Embassy, came under rocket attack, according to security sources reported by Reuters and France Presse.
Two security sources confirmed to Reuters that the Green Zone was hit by rockets, while France Presse stated that “three rockets targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad” on Friday morning.
Quoting an Iraqi military official, it was clarified that the rockets “fell in the vicinity of the fortified area, which houses foreign embassies and Iraqi government institutions.”
In response to questions from France Presse, a US military official acknowledged the sounding of alarms and hearing what is believed to be impact sounds near the vicinity of the US Embassy compound and the adjacent “Union 3” base, which hosts forces from the international coalition against ISIS.
Reuters reported that video clips from the incident’s location, circulating on social media, captured the events and were verified by a reliable source.
As of now, there has been no response from the US Embassy spokespersons in Baghdad to Reuters’ requests for comments.
It remains unclear whether the embassy’s air defense systems were activated or if there is any damage.
These events unfolded at around 4 AM local time (1 AM GMT).
US forces stationed at military bases in Iraq and Syria have faced more than 70 attacks since mid-October, with responsibility claimed by Iraqi Shiite militant groups. However, diplomatic missions have not been targeted in similar attacks.
