Three rockets fall in Baghdad, including two in Green Zone: military

BAGHDAD: Three Katyusha rockets fell in Baghdad on Sunday, including two inside the capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone housing government buildings and foreign missions, the Iraqi military said.

Six people were wounded, police sources said.

The missiles were fired targeting US Embassy in Baghdad, shortly after the deadline from a hardline pro-Iran faction for local troops to get away from US forces.

The rockets come two days after a US airstrike killed Iran’s top general Qassem Soleimani as he was being driven to the airport in Baghdad. The airstrike was ordered by President Donald Trump without congressional authorization.

Iran has since vowed to avenge Soleimani’s death, with its ambassador to the United Nations letting the Security Council know that Iran reserves the right to self-defence under international law.

Earlier on Sunday, in response to Soleimani’s killing, Iraq’s parliament supported a recommendation by the prime minister that all foreign troops be ordered out of the country.

“The Iraqi government must work to end the presence of any foreign troops on Iraqi soil and prohibit them from using its land, air space or water for any reason,” it said.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran lambasted Donald Trump after the U.S. president threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites hard if Tehran attacks Americans or U.S. assets in retaliation for Soleimani’s death.