U.S. Embassy Urges Americans to Leave Iraq Immediately Amid Rising Security Threats

Peregraf — The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has urged all American citizens in Iraq to leave the country immediately, warning of escalating security threats including attacks by armed groups, protests, and the continued risk of missiles and drones in Iraqi airspace. 

In a security alert issued Saturday, the embassy said the U.S. Mission in Iraq has completed the ordered departure of all designated non-emergency U.S. government employees, stressing that protecting American personnel remains its highest priority.

The warning comes amid rising unrest in Baghdad, where demonstrations and riots targeting the United States have erupted in recent days. According to the embassy, protests have been concentrated around the southern side of the July 14th Bridge and Tahrir Square, and have at times turned violent. 

The embassy warned that Iran-aligned factions of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have carried out or encouraged indiscriminate attacks on U.S. citizens and American-linked targets across Iraq. The alert said these groups have targeted locations frequented by foreigners, including hotels in the Kurdistan Region, as well as U.S. businesses and American-operated energy infrastructure.

Officials also warned that the risk of missiles, rockets, and drones in Iraqi airspace remains high, advising Americans who remain in the country to stay under cover whenever possible to avoid potential falling debris.

The embassy further noted that Iran-aligned factions have repeatedly attacked the Green Zone in central Baghdad. Iraqi authorities have since closed the heavily fortified International Zone, allowing only limited access.

Due to the ongoing security risks, the embassy urged U.S. citizens not to attempt to travel to the embassy in Baghdad or the U.S. Consulate in the Kurdistan Region. 

The warning comes as tensions across Iraq continue to rise amid the broader regional context of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, now in its 15th day, heightening fears of further attacks inside the country.