President Trump on Wednesday said the rockets that hit the US Embassy in Baghdad this week came from Iran — and that there was “chatter” about more attacks against Americans in Iraq.
The president tweeted out photographs of three rockets that had obviously failed to launch, writing “Guess about where they were from: IRAN.”
Our embassy in Baghdad got hit Sunday by several rockets. Three rockets failed to launch. Guess where they were from: IRAN. Now we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq… pic.twitter.com/0OCL6IFp5M
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020
“Presently we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq… ,” Trump wrote.
“Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will consider Iran responsible,” he warned. “Thoroughly consider it.”
The Baghdad embassy was targeted with eight Katyusha rockets on Sunday, causing some damage to buildings inside the city’s heavily fortified Green Zone, officials said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iran-backed militias for the attack, which he said wounded Iraqi civilians.
“The people of Iraq deserve to have these attackers prosecuted. These violent and corrupt criminals must cease their destabilizing actions,” Pompeo tweeted Sunday.
Most missiles struck a residential complex and security checkpoint inside the zone, which houses government buildings and foreign missions, according to the Iraqi military, which said an “outlaw group” was responsible.
The US embassy previously condemned the show of force.
“The U.S. Embassy confirms rockets targeting the International Zone resulted in the engagement of Embassy defensive systems,” it said in a statement Sunday.
“There was some minor damage on the Embassy compound but no injuries or casualties.”