Iraq, a unique regional ally to both the United States and Iran, is home to 2,500 U.S. troops. Late on Tuesday, a U.S. diplomatic facility in Baghdad was targeted in an attack, though no casualties have been reported and a damage assessment is currently underway, according to a statement from the U.S. embassy.
Security sources informed Reuters that two rockets landed around 11 p.m. near U.S. forces stationed at Camp Victory base near Baghdad airport.
The U.S. embassy confirmed the attack, stating, “At approximately 23:00 on Tuesday, September 10, there was an attack on the Baghdad Diplomatic Services Compound, a U.S. diplomatic facility.” The statement added, “Fortunately, there are no reported casualties, and we are currently assessing the damage and investigating the cause. Our assessment is ongoing.”
Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed faction in Iraq, suggested that the attack aimed to disrupt the visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, which began on Wednesday. The group has called on Iraqi security forces to investigate the incident and identify those responsible.
Pezeshkian, on his first foreign trip since his election in July, is expected to sign several bilateral agreements with Baghdad and discuss the Gaza conflict and broader Middle Eastern issues with Iraqi leaders.
In Iraq, where U.S. and Iranian interests intersect, the presence of 2,500 U.S. troops coexists with Iran-aligned armed groups linked to the country’s security forces. Since the onset of the Gaza war, Iran-aligned factions in Iraq have increasingly targeted U.S. troops in the region.
