A drone strike hit the Al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad early Tuesday, with verified footage showing flames and smoke rising from the site inside the heavily secured Green Zone, where key government institutions and diplomatic missions, including the US Embassy, are located. Iraqi authorities later confirmed that a drone struck the upper perimeter of the hotel complex. According to the Interior Ministry, the impact caused no casualties and only limited material damage following an on-site technical assessment.

???? BREAKING: Jaw-dropping moment as a US C-RAM unleashes fire and fury with a successful interception of an attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq

The sounds it makes is freaking INSANE. ????pic.twitter.com/DsmoFjJvXu

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 16, 2026

The incident unfolded alongside other aerial activity over the Iraqi capital. Videos authenticated by international media appear to capture air defense systems engaging incoming projectiles in the vicinity of the US Embassy, roughly 600 meters from the compound. Footage shows anti-aircraft fire, consistent with C-RAM systems, followed by an explosion in the sky suggesting a successful interception. In separate clips recorded about a kilometer away, a drone-like object can be seen descending before detonating on the ground, as witnesses react to the strike and warn about falling debris.

BREAKING: The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is under drone attack. pic.twitter.com/Kmq4pKOA8U

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) March 17, 2026

Iraq’s military confirmed that multiple locations were targeted in the early hours of Tuesday. According to a statement from the spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief, the US Embassy compound, the Al-Rasheed Hotel, and the Majnoon oil field in southern Iraq were all struck in what were described as repeated and unjustified attacks on critical infrastructure and diplomatic sites. The embassy itself has faced similar incidents in recent days, with two drones reportedly hitting the area over the weekend, again causing visible damage near the compound.

The developments in Baghdad come amid a broader surge in attacks across the Middle East. In Iran, Israeli forces reported launching a large-scale operation targeting infrastructure in Tehran, while Iranian sources confirmed explosions in the capital and ongoing rescue efforts to reach civilians trapped under rubble. In Lebanon, Israeli strikes extended to Beirut, following an expansion of ground operations in the south of the country.

Israel also reported incoming missile fire, though no casualties or direct impacts were recorded, with air defense systems intercepting threats as warning sirens sounded across northern areas. Elsewhere in the Gulf, multiple countries activated defensive measures. Qatar said it intercepted a missile, with debris sparking a small fire in an industrial zone, while Kuwait reported responding to both missile and drone threats, cautioning residents that any explosions were linked to interception activity.

Saudi Arabia announced it had destroyed more than a dozen drones targeting its eastern regions. In the United Arab Emirates, authorities temporarily shut down national airspace due to rapidly evolving security risks. Drone strikes were also reported to have ignited fires at key energy sites, including the Shah gas field and the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, while a tanker anchored nearby reported being hit by an unidentified projectile.