US Embassy in Baghdad Hit by Drones and Rockets
The United States Embassy in Baghdad came under a brazen assault early Tuesday as rockets and at least five explosive drones slammed into the heavily fortified Green Zone, marking one of the most significant direct attacks on American diplomatic facilities since Operation Epic Fury began 18 days ago.
Iraqi security sources confirmed that air defense systems engaged multiple incoming drones near the embassy compound and the Balad airbase in Salah al-Din governorate. Smoke was seen rising from the embassy area, with video footage emerging on social media showing fires and explosions lighting up the Baghdad skyline.
The attack was carried out by Iran-allied militia fighters operating inside Iraq — a troubling escalation that underscores how the war has spread well beyond Iran’s borders and into the heart of countries that are supposed to be US partners.
BBC News confirmed fire and smoke at the US Embassy compound following what it described as an “Iranian strike,” while Sky News reported that the attack coincided with another tanker being hit near the UAE coast.
200 US Troops Now Wounded Across Seven Countries
As the embassy assault unfolded, the Pentagon revealed a sobering new casualty figure: approximately 200 American service members have now been wounded since the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that the vast majority suffered minor injuries, with 180 troops already returned to duty. However, 10 of the injuries are classified as serious. Troops have been wounded in seven different countries — Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, and Israel — highlighting the extraordinary geographic scope of Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
Thirteen American troops have been killed since the conflict began, according to CENTCOM. About a dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones have also been destroyed in combat operations.
The numbers represent a significant jump from just a week ago, when Reuters first reported approximately 150 wounded. The escalating toll reflects Iran’s continued ability to strike at US positions across the region despite the devastating American air campaign.
CENTCOM: Over 7,000 Targets Destroyed
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, delivered a comprehensive update on Operation Epic Fury on Sunday, revealing that American forces have now struck more than 7,000 targets inside Iran.
Cooper presented before-and-after imagery of destroyed Iranian military infrastructure, describing the campaign as delivering “devastating combat power against the Iranian regime.” The strikes have targeted missile launch sites, air defense systems, naval facilities, and command-and-control centers across the country.
The operation, initially expected to last only a few days, has now entered its third week with no signs of winding down. Additional B-52 bombers have arrived at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom, and a Marine Expeditionary Unit is being deployed to the Middle East, according to The Aviationist.
Gulf States Demand: ‘Neutralize Iran for Good’
In a significant diplomatic development, Persian Gulf states are now pressing Washington not to stop the campaign short of permanently neutralizing Iran’s ability to threaten the region’s oil lifeline.
“There is a wide feeling across the Gulf that Iran has crossed every red line with every Gulf country,” said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center, in comments reported by Reuters.
Gulf nations didn’t ask for this war — but now that it’s happening, multiple Arab governments are urging the United States to finish the job. At the same time, Washington is pressing Gulf states to formally join the US-Israeli campaign, seeking regional backing to bolster international legitimacy and domestic support for the operation.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis remains critical. Iran has disrupted shipping through the waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Trump has demanded that NATO allies, Japan, and China contribute warships to help secure the strait, but Japan and Australia have already said they have no plans to send forces.
Iran Escalates: IRGC Issues Chilling Warning
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued an ominous threat on Monday, warning that US-linked industrial facilities across the region “could come under imminent attack” and calling on the United States to evacuate personnel.
The warning came as Iran continued launching drones at neighboring countries — a tactic that has already shut down Dubai International Airport, struck energy infrastructure in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and hit a tanker near Emirati waters.
President Trump added another layer of uncertainty when he told reporters it remained “unclear” whether Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was “dead or not” — a statement that sparked immediate speculation about the status of Iran’s leadership amid the relentless bombing campaign.
The Human Cost Mounts
The broader human toll of the conflict continues to grow. According to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, more than 1,300 people have been killed inside Iran. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) puts the figure higher — 1,330 civilians including at least 206 children, plus 1,122 military personnel.
Across the wider Middle East, more than 2,000 people have been killed since the conflict began, with the largest death tolls coming from Iran and Lebanon, where Israel has expanded its military operations.
In a separate development announced on March 17, Abu Ali al-Askari — the security commander of the Iranian-backed Kata’ib Hezbollah militia — was confirmed killed in a US airstrike on Baghdad on March 14. His death represents a significant blow to Iran’s proxy network in Iraq.
What Happens Next
As Operation Epic Fury grinds into its third week, several critical questions loom:
Can Iran sustain its retaliation? Analysts note that Iran’s ballistic missile launches have declined since the war’s early days, suggesting stockpile depletion. But Tehran has pivoted to cheaper, harder-to-intercept drone attacks that continue to cause damage across the Gulf.
Will the Strait of Hormuz be reopened? With Trump struggling to assemble an international naval coalition and oil prices soaring, the global economic impact of the conflict is becoming impossible to ignore.
Is Iran’s leadership intact? Trump’s public questioning of whether Khamenei is alive suggests either genuine intelligence uncertainty or deliberate psychological warfare — either way, it adds to the fog of war.
One thing is clear: this conflict is far from over, and its ripple effects — from the Baghdad Green Zone to global oil markets — are only growing.