Tensions Escalate: US Orders Citizens to Leave Iraq Immediately
The US Embassy in Baghdad has urged all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately on Saturday following the second attack on the embassy since conflict with Iran began.
The warning stated that militias allied with Iran have conducted numerous attacks against American-related targets, including diplomatic facilities, American companies, and hotels frequently visited by foreign nationals. The warning recommended American citizens undertake overland travel to neighbouring countries because commercial flights are not operating, and warned them not to visit US embassies or consulates in the northern city of Erbil.
Kataib Hezbollah, one of several Iran-backed militias in Iraq, claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack, stating they had fired on the embassy the previous evening. Video verified by The New York Times showed a building on the embassy roof on fire.
According to New York Times reporting, two Iraqi security officials unauthorised to speak publicly confirmed the attack but could not provide additional details.
Overnight, US air strikes struck military targets on Kharg Island, where Iran’s main oil export terminal is located. President Trump threatened to bomb Iran’s oil infrastructure on the island if Tehran does not allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway leading to the Persian Gulf through which one-fifth of the world’s oil must pass.
However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps rejected Trump’s threat, asserting in a Saturday statement that the strategic waterway remained under their complete control and that “any attempt to move or transit will be targeted.”
Trump also called on other nations, including Britain, France, and China, to send warships to Iran to attempt to ensure oil tankers can pass through the strait, promising that the United States would coordinate with them. Oil prices have surged sharply since the United States and Israel launched their air campaign against Iran two weeks ago, shaking global markets.