Two drones strike US Embassy in Baghdad destroying radar

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Mar 2026 20:50

Two drones struck the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, reportedly targeting radar systems near a C-RAM air defense unit, marking the second attack since the regional escalation began.

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United States personnel inspect a destroyed radar unit atop a building at the United States Embassy complex in Baghdad, Iraq, following an attack on March 14, 2026 (AP)

Two drones struck the US Embassy compound in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, early Saturday, according to a security official cited by CNN, marking the second attack on the facility since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Video geolocated by CNN showed smoke and flames rising from a building near the embassy compound inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone. The network reported that it had contacted the embassy, the US State Department, the White House, and US Central Command for further information regarding the incident.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Iraq also reported that the attack targeted the embassy’s air defense system, with the compound’s helicopter landing pad reportedly struck during the assault.

Footage and photos analyzed by Al Mayadeen English and released by the Associated Press on March 7 and later on March 14 indicated that the targeted unit was a radar system positioned in close proximity to a C-RAM air defense system mounted atop a building within the US embassy complex. As seen in the video below, the targeted unit is the one mounted with an aviation obstruction light.

The radar installation is located nearly 700 meters east of the heavily guarded main embassy building, suggesting the strike was aimed at degrading the compound’s close-range defensive capabilities. Photos taken in the aftermath of the attack show that the radar unit was completely burned out by a fire caused by the strike.

US aggression results in regional escalation

The nature of the attack remains unknown; however, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed dozens of attacks against US assets in Iraq and the broader region.

The strike comes amid rising regional tensions linked to the ongoing confrontation, which has seen a series of retaliatory operations against the US and "Israel" who launched an unprovoked aggression on Iran on February 28, 2026.

On Saturday, the US Embassy in Baghdad urged any remaining American citizens to immediately leave Iraq.

Earlier reports also suggested that the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was struck by two Iranian drones, which targeted a CIA operations room. Saturday’s strike represents the second attack on the US compound.