Attack on US Diplomatic Center in Baghdad; US Embassy: No Casualties Reported

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Iraq announced on Wednesday, September 21, that a diplomatic center of the United States in Baghdad was attacked on Tuesday evening, but no casualties have been reported, and damage assessments are underway. Reuters reported, citing security sources, that two rockets struck near the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center – the location of US forces at Camp Victory near Baghdad Airport – around 11 PM on Tuesday. Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed armed group in Iraq, claimed that the timing of the attack was clearly designed to disrupt the visit of Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to Iraq. This group called on Iraqi security forces in a statement on Wednesday to investigate the attack and determine who was involved. Iraq, a regional partner of both the US and Iran, hosts 2,500 American soldiers. Several Iranian-backed armed groups operate in Iraq and are linked to the country's security forces. These Iranian-aligned armed groups in Iraq have repeatedly attacked US forces in the Middle East since the onset of the war in Gaza. The war in Gaza began after a terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. During this terrorist attack, over 1,200 Israeli citizens, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed, and more than 250 others were taken hostage. Following this terrorist attack, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas and recovering hostages taken by Hamas. The Hamas group is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. Iraq is proposing investment in 10 gas blocks to the US with the aim of self-sufficiency in energy. The Wall Street Journal reported that Iraqi banks have transferred billions of dollars to Iran in violation of US sanctions. A senior US military official stated that the risk of a wider war in the Middle East has decreased, but the Islamic Republic remains a significant threat. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced that the announcement of the end date for coalition forces' mission has been postponed.