Missile Strikes US Embassy Baghdad — Helipad and Air Defense System Destroyed

A missile — attributed to Iranian proxies or direct IRGC launch — struck the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, destroying the helipad and the facility's Centurion air defense system. No US fatalities were reported, though staff were evacuated to hardened shelters. It is the first direct strike on the US Embassy compound during the conflict. The strike compounds growing pressure on the US position in Iraq, where PM al-Sudani has been walking a tightrope between Washington and Tehran. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility.