Iran-aligned forces target US bases and embassies across the Middle East

Overview

A missile struck the helipad inside the United States Embassy compound in Baghdad on March 14, destroying part of the Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) air defense system, its radar, and satellite communications. The embassy—the largest US compound in the world—has faced hundreds of attacks by Iran-aligned militias since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began February 28. No full evacuation has occurred despite the damage, with militia operations continuing at high tempo.

The embassy attack is part of a month-long campaign hitting US facilities in at least eight countries. On March 28, Iran attacked Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, wounding 12 US troops and destroying three KC-135 tankers.

Yemen's Houthis fired their first missiles at Israel that day, hitting Beersheba and a nuclear research facility—marking their formal entry into the conflict after weeks of Iranian pressure. US casualties rose to at least 25 killed and over 300 wounded.

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Key Indicators

400+

Militia attacks claimed in Iraq

Extrapolated from 291 through March 11 at 20+/day pace; exact totals unreported

25+

US service members killed

Includes 13 through mid-March plus subsequent strikes including Saudi base attack

300+

US service members wounded

Cumulative toll including 12 wounded in March 28 Saudi strike (2 serious)

Countries with US/ally facilities hit

Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen (Houthis), Israel (new)

Houthi missile attacks on Israel

March 28-29; both intercepted but debris caused 11 injuries

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People Involved

Pete Hegseth

Leading US military response under Operation Epic Fury

Mohammed Shia al-Sudani

Attempting to balance condemnation of attacks from all sides

Marco Rubio

Managing diplomatic and security responses at US embassies

Abu Hassan al-Furaiji

Killed by US strike in Baghdad on March 14

Organizations Involved

Islamic Resistance in Iraq

Militia Umbrella Coalition

Primary coordinating body for attacks on US facilities in Iraq

An umbrella group for Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq that coordinates attacks on US targets under a unified operational identity.

United States Embassy in Baghdad

Diplomatic Mission

Operating under Level 4 security alert with non-emergency staff evacuated

The largest US embassy in the world, located in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, now operating with reduced staff after losing part of its air defense capability.

United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

Military Combatant Command

Defending bases under intensified Iranian and proxy attacks one month into Operation Epic Fury

The US military command responsible for operations in the Middle East, overseeing more than 5,000 strikes against Iranian targets while defending US facilities across the region.

Timeline

February 2026 March 2026

13 events Latest: March 29th, 2026 · 3 months ago Showing 8 of 13

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March 2026
Houthis launch second missile attack on Israel within 24 hours
Latest Attack

Yemen's Houthis fired a second ballistic missile at Israel on March 29, following their initial strike on March 28. Both missiles were intercepted by Israeli air defenses, but falling debris injured 11 people in central Israel. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree pledged continued military operations in support of Iran.
March 29th, 2026
Iran missile/drone barrage hits US forces at Saudi Prince Sultan Air Base
Attack

Six ballistic missiles and 29 drones wounded 12 US troops (2 seriously) and destroyed 3 KC-135 Stratotankers plus damaged E-3 Sentry. Most significant direct Iranian strike on US assets in one month of war.
March 28th, 2026
Houthis fire first missiles at Israel, joining Iran proxy war
Attack

Yemen's Houthis launched ballistic missiles at Israel—including near Beersheba and nuclear research site—marking their entry after resisting Iranian requests. Expands 'resistance front' to eighth country.
March 28th, 2026
Missile destroys helipad and air defense system at US Embassy Baghdad
Attack

A missile struck the US Embassy helipad in Baghdad's Green Zone at approximately 5:30 AM, destroying the C-RAM air defense system, its radar station, and a satellite communications array. The strike left the compound significantly more vulnerable to future attacks. Hours earlier, US strikes killed senior Kata'ib Hezbollah commander Abu Hassan al-Furaiji in Baghdad.
March 14th, 2026 • 5:30 AM
US strikes PMF headquarters across Iraq; French and Italian bases hit
Military

US airstrikes hit Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters in Kirkuk province and near the Syrian border, killing nine fighters. Separately, a missile hit an Italian military base in Erbil, and a French training camp was struck — killing one French soldier and wounding six.
March 12th, 2026
Drone strikes US diplomatic facility in Baghdad
Attack

A drone struck the US Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center, a facility separate from the main embassy compound. The attack demonstrated that militia forces could reach multiple American sites within the capital.
March 10th, 2026
First wartime attack on US Embassy in Baghdad
Attack

Four Katyusha rockets struck the US Embassy compound in the Green Zone — the first attack to land within the fortified district since the war began. Prime Minister al-Sudani ordered security forces to pursue the perpetrators.
March 7th, 2026
Iranian drones hit US Embassy compound in Riyadh
Attack

Two drones struck the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia, causing a fire and minor material damage. Reports indicated the strike also hit a Central Intelligence Agency station within the compound. The embassy ordered Americans to shelter in place.
March 3rd, 2026
State Department orders non-emergency staff to leave Iraq
Diplomatic

The Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees to depart Iraq and raised the travel advisory to Level 4 — Do Not Travel. Routine consular services at the Baghdad embassy and Erbil consulate were suspended indefinitely.
March 2nd, 2026
Drone swarms hit US installations in Erbil, Kurdistan Region
Attack

Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed drone attacks on American bases in Erbil 'in retaliation for the blood of the martyr Khamenei.' The Kurdistan Region became the primary target zone, absorbing roughly 200 of the 291 attacks claimed through March 11.
March 1st, 2026
February 2026
US and Israel launch Operation Epic Fury against Iran
Military

Approximately 900 strikes hit Iranian targets in the first 12 hours. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in Tehran. Iran immediately retaliated with 247 ballistic missiles and 230 drones targeting US bases and Gulf states. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed 16 operations against US targets on the first day.
February 28th, 2026
Iranian drones hit US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain
Attack

Shahed-136 drones struck the Naval Support Activity compound at Juffair, destroying a radar dome. The base was declared unsafe, and approximately 8,300 US personnel were ordered to evacuate to off-base hotels.
February 28th, 2026
Iranian missiles damage THAAD radar at US base in Jordan
Attack

Missiles struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, destroying an advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defense radar system. Satellite imagery showed 13-foot craters near the wreckage, with damage estimated at $300 million.
February 28th, 2026

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Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

October 2023 - February 2024

Attacks on US bases during the Gaza war (2023-2024)

After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Iran-backed militias launched over 190 attacks on US bases in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan over four months. The deadliest strike killed three US soldiers at Tower 22 in Jordan on January 28, 2024, when a drone exploited a gap in air defenses. The US retaliated on February 2, 2024, striking 85 targets across Iraq and Syria.

Then

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq paused operations after the US retaliatory strikes, demonstrating that sustained US military pressure could influence militia behavior.

Now

The 2023-2024 campaign established the Islamic Resistance in Iraq as a coordinating brand and demonstrated the militia playbook now being executed at far greater scale in 2026.

Why this matters now

The 2023-2024 campaign totaled roughly 190 attacks over four months with three American deaths. The 2026 conflict has seen comparable attack volumes in days, with 13 US deaths in two weeks — showing the difference between proxy harassment during a regional crisis and proxy warfare during a direct US-Iran conflict.

December 2019 - January 2020

US Embassy Baghdad storming and the Soleimani killing (2019-2020)

After US airstrikes killed 25 Kata'ib Hezbollah fighters, militia supporters physically stormed the US Embassy in Baghdad on December 31, 2019, breaching the outer compound. Three days later, the US killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and Kata'ib Hezbollah commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad Airport. Iran retaliated by firing 12 ballistic missiles at two US bases, causing 110 traumatic brain injuries among American troops.

Then

Iraq's parliament passed a non-binding resolution to expel US forces. The US and Iran pulled back from further escalation through backchannel communication.

Now

The episode set the precedent for direct Iranian ballistic missile strikes on US forces, but at a scale (12 missiles at 2 bases) that now looks restrained compared to the 2026 barrage of hundreds of missiles across seven countries.

Why this matters now

The 2019-2020 cycle shows what restraint looked like — both sides absorbed blows and stopped. In 2026, the killing of Khamenei removed the restraint calculus entirely. The embassy that militia supporters breached on foot in 2019 is now being struck by precision munitions that have disabled its air defenses.

April - October 1983

1983 Beirut barracks bombing and embassy attacks

On April 18, 1983, a truck bomb destroyed the US Embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people including 17 Americans. Six months later, on October 23, a suicide truck bomb hit the US Marine barracks at Beirut International Airport, killing 241 American service members — the deadliest single attack on US forces since the Battle of Iwo Jima. A simultaneous attack killed 58 French paratroopers. Iran-backed Hezbollah was linked to both attacks.

Then

President Reagan withdrew US Marines from Lebanon in February 1984, four months after the barracks bombing.

Now

The withdrawal established a lasting pattern: sustained attacks on US facilities in the Middle East, when combined with sufficient casualties, can alter American force posture. The episode shaped US risk calculus for deploying troops in the region for decades.

Why this matters now

The 1983 precedent is the scenario US military planners want to avoid — where cumulative attacks on a fortified position force a withdrawal that reshapes regional power dynamics. The destruction of the Baghdad embassy's air defenses on March 14 echoes the core vulnerability: even heavily defended US facilities can be degraded by persistent, targeted strikes.