By Muhammad Mamman
The United States embassy compound in Baghdad has been struck by a missile, raising fears of a wider regional escalation as the Middle East conflict enters its third week.
Iraqi security officials said a projectile hit a helipad inside the heavily fortified diplomatic complex located in the city’s Green Zone, sending smoke billowing over the area. Authorities have not immediately confirmed casualties or the extent of damage following the strike. 
The attack comes amid mounting regional tensions linked to the widening conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, with retaliatory strikes and drone attacks spreading across several Middle Eastern countries.
Security sources say the missile landed within the embassy compound, one of the most heavily protected diplomatic sites in the region. The Green Zone hosts key government institutions and foreign missions, making any breach of its security perimeter a major concern for Iraqi authorities. 
The strike follows days of intensifying hostilities, including US military operations against Iranian-linked targets and threats of retaliation from Tehran and allied militias operating across the region.
Washington had earlier warned of heightened security risks to its personnel and facilities in Iraq, urging American citizens in the country to remain vigilant as tensions continue to escalate.
The incident underscores the growing danger that Iraq could once again become a flashpoint in the broader confrontation between Washington and Tehran, even as Iraqi leaders have repeatedly said they do not want the country dragged deeper into the expanding regional war.
