Daijiworld Media Network - Baghdad

Baghdad, Apr 6: Iran-linked armed groups carried out two overnight strikes targeting United States diplomatic personnel and facilities in Iraq, according to a spokesperson from the US State Department, amid escalating tensions between Washington and Iran.

Condemning the incidents, the State Department termed them “outrageous terrorist attacks” on American diplomatic missions and urged Iraqi authorities to take immediate steps to prevent further assaults.

“We have consistently urged the Iraqi government to immediately live up to its responsibility to stop attacks on US facilities and to prevent terrorist militias from using Iraqi territory to launch attacks,” the spokesperson said, warning that the United States would act to protect its personnel if necessary.

While the exact locations of the latest strikes were not disclosed, earlier reports have highlighted repeated attacks on key US sites, including the US Embassy Baghdad, the US Consulate General Erbil and the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center since the onset of the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran.

Last week, the State Department announced a reward of up to USD 3 million for information related to attacks on its diplomatic facilities in Iraq.

Earlier, the Iran-backed umbrella group Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for 19 drone and missile strikes targeting US bases in Iraq and the wider region on April 3.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi police official, cited by Al Jazeera, said that the headquarters of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces in al-Qaim in western Iraq was also struck, while another airstrike reportedly targeted its 34th Brigade in Mosul.

Shia armed groups, including the Islamic Resistance and the Popular Mobilisation Forces, have been actively involved in several proxy conflicts across the region.