The United States has instructed all its embassies and diplomatic posts worldwide to reassess their security protocols following a drone strike on its Baghdad compound, as the conflict with Iran intensifies. An internal State Department message, reviewed by The Washington Post, ordered posts to convene Emergency Action Committees and review security due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East and potential spill-over effects.
At least three drones targeted the US embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. Two were intercepted, but a third crashed inside the compound, Iraqi security officials reported. The State Department confirmed no American staff at the embassy or the consulate in Irbil have been killed or injured in recent attacks.
American diplomatic facilities have been targeted since the US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran over two weeks ago. Militia groups are estimated to have carried out at least 292 attacks on US facilities since February 28, according to a State Department internal message sent Monday.
A State Department spokesperson declined to confirm the report, citing a policy of not commenting on internal communications for safety reasons. The spokesperson noted that every embassy in the Middle East had convened Emergency Action Committees before the strikes began, and these committees have continued to meet. The spokesperson added that convening such committees does not necessarily indicate a specific threat.
The US military has struck over 7,000 targets in its campaign against Iran, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury', according to US Central Command. The Iranian Red Crescent reports over 1,300 deaths in Iran during the conflict. At least 13 US service members have been killed and 200 injured, with most injuries minor and over 180 personnel returned to duty.
