UPDATED: Three rockets hit near Baghdad airport

Three rockets killed eight people including top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani after striking an Iraqi military base near Baghdad airport on Thursday evening, according to reports.

Tensions have escalated in the area over the past week after Iran-backed protesters surrounded the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, shouting, “Death to America,” and setting fires to the building on New Year’s Eve.

“Urgent Iraqi security sources: The explosions were caused by the fall of 3 missiles in the back area of Baghdad Airport,” tweeted Al Jazeera, according to a Google translation. The base where the rockets landed is a joint U.S./Iraqi counterterror center.

The three rockets are believed to have targeted an Iraqi counterterrorism center, a building used by the U.S. military, and a road outside the Baghdad airport.

Hezbolla’s Mayadeen, a pan-Arabist television network, confirmed that Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, deputy commander of Popular Mobilization Forces, died during the rocket strikes.

The airspace above Baghdad International Airport appears to be closed, and U.S. helicopters have been spotted flying in the area.

Video posted to Twitter shows two cars on fire near the Baghdad International Airport, and sources claim at least 12 Iraqi soldiers were injured in the explosions.

In a statement released this morning, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said, “We must stand together against the malign and destabilizing actions of Iran.”