The US Embassy in Baghdad has issued a stark warning, urging American citizens in Iraq to depart the country “immediately.”
The alert, published by the embassy, highlights “indiscriminate attacks” by Iran-backed terrorist groups. This includes a recent missile strike that targeted a helipad at the US embassy on Saturday within the heavily secured “Green Zone.”
“Iran-aligned terrorist militias have launched numerous attacks on the International Zone in central Baghdad,” the embassy stated in a message shared on X. “Additionally, there have been recurring assaults near Erbil International Airport and the Consulate General. Avoid attempting to reach the Embassy in Baghdad or the Consulate General in Erbil due to the persistent dangers posed by rockets, drones, and mortars in Iraqi airspace.”
The State Department has a standing “do not travel” advisory for Iraq, a nation sharing a border with Iran.
The advisory highlights that these militant groups represent a “major threat to public safety” in Iraq, where the US has maintained a military presence since the onset of the Iraq War in 2003.
US nationals are advised to “leave immediately,” though commercial flights are currently unavailable. The embassy suggests using land routes through Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
