Three rockets have hit the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Three Katyusha rockets hit inside the compound while as many as five others landed in the area surrounding it, according to reports. American defense officials said that no one was killed in the attack, but some were wounded. It is unclear how severe the injuries are. A U.S. official told CNN that one rocket hit the embassy’s dining facility, causing damage but no fatalities.
#BREAKING Of five rockets fired, three made a direct hit on the US embassy in Baghdad, according to a security source pic.twitter.com/pNBg7JqZxd
— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 26, 2020
#Breaking #Update
Senior #US Defence official confirm that Katyusha rocket hit the #Embassy dining facility tonight. Decline comment on injuries but say there were no deaths. First time the embassy has actually been hit in a very long time. #AAM already released statement.— Nafiseh Kohnavard (@nafisehkBBC) January 26, 2020
NEW: Three rockets hit the US embassy in Baghdad, damage reported to the dining facility.
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The news comes as we continue to follow tragic news about a basketball legend.— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) January 26, 2020
“We are aware of reports of rockets landing in the International Zone. We call on the Government of Iraq to fulfill its obligations to protect our diplomatic facilities,” a Department of Defense representative told the Washington Examiner. “We will not comment further on the security situation in Baghdad.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi condemned the rocket attack and ordered Iraqi security forces to “deploy, search, and investigate to prevent the recurrence of such attacks, and to arrest those who launched these rockets so that they can be punished.”
The strike comes after a similar attack on Jan. 20, when three Katyusha rockets fell near the U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported in that incident.
Tension in the Middle East has escalated in recent weeks since top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani orchestrated a violent protest outside of the American Embassy in Baghdad. The United States responded with a drone strike on Jan. 2 that killed Soleimani.
