The United States has reported that Iran-backed groups have targeted U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq more than 600 times since the start of the U.S. and Israel-led war, according to the State Department and a senior State Department official [1]. These attacks have included repeated drone strikes on the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center, which was hit in mid-March, and incidents such as a fire on the roof of the U.S. embassy in March and smoke rising from a facility near the airport in April [1].
In response, the U.S. has urged the Iraqi government to sever ties with Tehran-backed militia groups and has imposed sanctions on Iraqi officials, including Deputy Minister of Oil Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, for allegedly diverting Iraqi oil to benefit the Iranian regime. The State Department spokesperson stated that Iranian oil was mixed with Iraqi oil and sold for Iran's benefit, and that oil sector companies supporting militias were also sanctioned [1].
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has recently warned Americans to leave Iraq, citing ongoing plots by militias to attack U.S. citizens and interests throughout the country [1]. The U.S. summoned Iraqi Ambassador Nizar Khirullah to Washington in April, where Deputy Secretary of State Landau condemned the attacks and called for the Iraqi government to dismantle Iran-aligned militia groups [1].
Newly elected Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi is under pressure from both the U.S. and President Donald Trump to take concrete action against these groups. President Trump publicly wished al-Zaidi success in forming a government free from terrorism [1]. A senior State Department official noted the blurred lines between the Iraqi state and the militias, emphasizing that elements within the Iraqi government continue to provide cover for these groups [1].
CONCLUSION
The U.S. has taken significant diplomatic and economic measures in response to over 600 attacks by Iran-backed groups on its facilities in Iraq, including sanctions on Iraqi officials and oil sector entities. The situation has heightened tensions and placed pressure on Iraq's new leadership to act decisively against militia influence. Market and geopolitical risks remain elevated as the U.S. demands concrete action from the Iraqi government.