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US Embassy in Baghdad on Thursday warned that pro-Iran armed groups may carry out attacks in the city within the next 24 to 48 hours, asking American citizens to leave Iraq immediately.In a statement on X, the embassy said, “Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours.”It added that such groups have previously targeted US citizens and locations linked to the United States, and may target businesses, universities, diplomatic missions, energy sites, hotels and airports.It aslso said that “Terrorist militias have targeted Americans for kidnapping,” warning that some attackers may pose as Iraqi government officials. The embassy stressed that “US citizens should leave Iraq now” and reminded them of the Level 4 “Do Not Travel” warning.The warning comes amid rising tensions in the region. US President Donald Trump also said Wednesday American forces would continue hitting Iran “very hard” in the next two to three weeks, even as he claimed US objectives had been met or exceeded. Iran-aligned groups like the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) and Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) have launched hundreds of drone and missile attacks on US bases in Iraq, such as Harir and Erbil, as retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on Iran since late February 2026. The situation has also affected Iraq’s economy, especially in the southern province of Basra, where most of the country’s oil is produced. A month into the conflict, oil fields and ports have slowed sharply, with frequent rocket and drone activity in the skies.Iraq depends on oil for nearly 90 per cent of its budget, but exports have been hit as Iran has effectively blocked cargo movement through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil production in southern Iraq has fallen by more than 70 per cent, while imports through ports have dropped by half.
