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Iraq

Explosions occurred near the Al Rasheed Hotel in central Baghdad, US embassy urges Americans to leave Iraq

2026-03-17

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Several powerful explosions occurred near the Al Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad. Al Hadath TV reported this on March 16, citing a source in the Iraqi security forces.

It is specified that several explosions occurred in the “green zone”, where government buildings are located, as well as the embassies of several foreign countries.

It is noted that air raid sirens are sounding at the United States Embassy, which is also located in the "green zone."

According to the source, the Al Rasheed Hotel was attacked by a drone; there were no casualties or injuries as a result of the explosion.

Earlier, the American embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, was attacked on the morning of March 14. It is believed that the target was the air defense systems located on the embassy's premises in Baghdad.

Rudaw’s take:

US urges citizens to leave Iraq after armed group leader killed

The US diplomatic mission in Iraq on Monday reiterated its urgent call on American citizens to "leave Iraq now" and avoid heading to the US embassy in Baghdad or the consulate in Erbil, citing an escalation in attacks by Iran-aligned gangs and warning that US nationals face a "risk of kidnapping."

The warning came shortly after a top commander of a powerful Iran-backed Iraqi gang, Kata’ib Hezbollah, was confirmed dead, reportedly killed in a US strike in Baghdad late last week.

In a statement on X, the US embassy in Baghdad said that "Iran-aligned terrorist militias have incited and carried out attacks against U.S. citizens and U.S.-linked targets throughout Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR)."

"U.S. citizens must leave Iraq immediately," it added, urging Americans not to attempt travel to the US Embassy in Baghdad or the Consulate in Erbil due to ongoing security risks. The warning comes amid "repeated attacks" in the heavily fortified Green Zone, where the American embassy is located, as well as incidents targeting Erbil International Airport and the US Consulate General in the Kurdish capital.

The embassy further advised that US citizens should leave Iraq now and avoid traveling to the country, warning they "face the risk of kidnapping" and noting that "U.S. individuals have been specifically targeted." It also cautioned that "Iran-aligned militias may hinder the ability of Iraqi authorities to respond effectively during emergencies."

Notably, shortly after the warning, video footage reportedly showing the embassy’s C-RAM defenses intercepting what is believed to be an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) surfaced online.

Fire trucks rush to the well-known al‑Rasheed Tulip Hotel in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone after an explosion was heard. pic.twitter.com/DLM8Mhzb6N
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) March 16, 2026

The American diplomatic mission’s warning - the second of its kind within 48 hours - notably came against the backdrop of Iraq’s pro-Iran
Iran

...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate ~~Jews~~ ~~Zionists~~ Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
Kata’ib Hezbollah announcing on Monday that its spokesperson and security bigshot, Abu Ali al-Askari, was killed.

"We announce to you the martyrdom of Hajj Abu Ali al-Askari," Kata’ib Hezbollah said in a statement by leader Ahmad al-Hamidawi, known as Abu Hussein, published by Sabreen News, a channel affiliated with Iranian-backed factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

More from the Times of Israel:

A security official told AFP that “Abu Ali al-Askari is Abu Ali al-Amiri, the commander who was killed in a strike on Baghdad on Saturday.”

Kataeb Hezbollah referred to Askari as the group’s security chief. He was also the spokesperson in charge of issuing all key statements in the group’s name. The last was released on March 7, following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader.

According to the group’s statement, Askari will be replaced by Abou Moujahed al-Assaf as the new security chief.

Noted.

Kataeb Hezbollah was the group responsible for kidnapping Israeli Elizabeth Tsurkov in Baghdad in March 2023, and held her hostage until she was released in September 2025.

Reacting to the news on Monday, Tsurkov wrote on X that Askari “was personally involved in keeping me captive and spreading hilarious lies about me, even after my release.”

She said he was “killed by the United States for [Kataeb Hezbollah]’s targeting of US interests in Iraq & neighboring countries. KH also killed hundreds of American servicemen. But most of the blood this man had on his hands was that of Arabs: Iraqis and Syrians.”

All eliminated by USAF 🇺🇸

(Iran backed terrorists in Iraq) pic.twitter.com/jZ0iAzjgaN
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 17, 2026

Posted by:badanov

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