From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 26, 2026
US embassy tells citizens to leave Iraq amid attacks from Iran-backed militias
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Iran-backed militias in Iraq are launching attacks on US citizens and US-associated targets in the country, the American embassy in Baghdad says.
The embassy advises US citizens to leave Iraq immediately, and to avoid the embassy in Baghdad and consulate in Erbil “due to ongoing risks from rockets and drones in Iraqi airspace.”
The attacks come after a series of deadly airstrikes this week that killed fighters from the Popular Mobilization Force, a coalition of pro-Iranian militias that is part of the Iraqi military. The PMF blames the strikes on the US.
The PMF was formed of Shiite pro-Iran militias over a decade ago as Iraq waged war against the Islamic State terror group. Among PMF’s members is Kataeb Hezbollah, a powerful US-designated terror group.
The Times of Israel Community.