Rocket hits near US embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone

A rocket hit near the US embassy in Baghdad on early Tuesday morning and caused a large explosion, according to the military's statement cited by CGTN, China's state news agency.

A rocket hit near the US embassy in Baghdad on early Tuesday morning and caused a large explosion, according to the military's statement cited by CGTN, China's state news agency. The rocket was fired from an eastern district of Baghdad and hit an empty building inside the heavily fortified green zone in Baghdad, the statement said.

The green zone also houses other diplomatic compounds in Iraq. There was no immediate claim of responsibility and no casualties were reported.

Though the sprawling Green Zone complex and the surrounding area have been a frequent target for rocket strikes over the years - at least 27 so far in 2020 alone - such incidents have decreased in recent weeks, with the last one coming on May 6 near the Baghdad International Airport, located some 25 kilometers west of the Green Zone. If confirmed, Tuesday's strike would also come as the first since the appointment of Iraq's new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, a former intelligence chief. 

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