At least 6 rockets have fallen in Baghdad, three of which were launched in the Green Zone which houses foreign government personnel. Iraqi military confirm at least six people have been wounded in the attacks.
This follows an attack on a small U.S. base in Kenya earlier at the Manda Bay Airfield. A U.S. service member, two Department of Defense contractors and five Kenyan military members were killed after a car bomb detonated in the scarcely guarded area.
The Iran-backed Iraqi militia commander, Qais al-Khazali, issued a warning early Sunday demanding that U.S. troops should leave Iraq or be considered an occupying military force. Following this announcement, Hezbollah brigades inside Iraq cautioned Iraqi security to remain at least 1,000 meters away from any American military base beginning Sunday evening.
There is no confirmation of who is responsible for the rocket attacks. Yesterday, during a mock funeral for Qasem Soleimani, multiple rockets exploded and rounds of mortar were also shot in the area of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, but neither Iraqi or Iranian forces took credit. Both Iranian and pro-Iranian officials housing were targeted.
Still, the area is on high alert with a large U.S. air presence.
A foreign correspondent for NPR wrote on her Twitter:
President Trump has already issued a warning to Iran via Twitter, promising annihilation with 52 airstrikes (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran under President Carter) if Iranian militias continue to attack Americans in the Middle East.
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