LIVE Drone strike rocks major US diplomatic facility in Baghdad

A suspected Iranian drone struck a major US diplomatic facility in Baghdad on Tuesday, according to a report from The Washington Post.

The drone struck the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center, a large logistical and operational support hub used by US diplomats near Iraqi military bases and Baghdad International Airport.

Six drones were launched toward the facility, with five intercepted and one striking near a guard tower, according to a security official cited by the Post.

No casualties were immediately reported, as individuals were ordered to ‘duck and cover.’

The attack is suspected to have been carried out by militias operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-backed groups that have increased their attacks since the United States and Israel first struck Iran on February 28.

The incident came after the US Embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens to ‘exercise caution, avoid drawing attention, and stay away from areas that could make them a target.’

‘Gathering in areas associated with the United States or with groups of other American citizens may put you at risk,’ it said in an alert, noting: ‘Attacks against American citizens and interests in Iraq have occurred.

‘Americans face a risk of kidnapping, and American companies, hotels frequented by foreigners, and other facilities in Iraq, including those with ties to the United States, have been targeted in attacks. Critical sites throughout Iraq have also been targeted in attacks.’

The remainder of the Iranian women’s soccer team have been pictured at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Wednesday as they made their return, after five members accepted asylum in Australia.

They earlier departed Sydney for the Middle East – but it’s understood more team members have been granted asylum.

Trouble for the women began last Monday, March 2, when they refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before a match against South Korea on the Gold Coast during the Asia Cup – just days after the conflict between the US and Iran broke out.

Australia offered the teammates humanitarian visas after word of their protest reached Iran, triggering major backlash.

The cost of oil and other fuels has been soaring since the start of the Iran War just over a week ago.

And there has been understandable concern over how hard this might hit consumers, and whether this might affect public opinion on the conflict.

Vincent Clerc, the boss of Danish shipping giant Maersk, has now admitted to the BBC this increased cost will indeed be passed down to the consumer.

He said: ‘We have traditional contracting mechanisms that pass on this fuel fluctuation, whether they go up or they go down, onto the customers.

‘So what it means is that ultimately, in this case, these increases will pass to our customers and will pass on to the consumers.’

Stunning photos show US aircraft being mobilised as it continues to ramp up strikes on Iran.

They come after the American military confirmed it has now destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels close to a major sea passage used to export oil.

Saudi Arabia has intercepted six ballistic missiles targeting Prince Sultan Air Base, a military complex in the east of the country, its Defence Ministry has claimed.

It added that it has also intercepted several drones today, the source of which has not been revealed.

More than 43,000 American citizens have fled the Middle East since the war started just over a week ago, according to US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

He added that 30,000 of these had been helped back to the US through a specially-created task force.

Two dozen charter flights have evacuated Americans from the region, although many have been just 40 per cent full due to people opting for commercial airlines.

A second chartered flight organised by the UK government has headed from Dubai.

The plane follows a similar one which landed in Britain earlier on Tuesday.

It comes after three chartered aircraft took British nationals from Oman, the third of which landed on Monday.

The IDF has detected missiles headed over Israel in the last few moments.

Sirens have been ringing out in central Israel and the Jerusalem area as Iran launches its latest volley of weapons.

Northern Israel is also bracing itself for an attack.

A shocking intelligence report that was blocked by the White House warns that Iran could launch waves of terrorist attacks on US soil including assassinations, bombings and stabbings, because of the President’s new war, a leaked copy exclusively obtained by the Daily Mail shows.

The FBI, Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) were preparing to put out the joint statement last week to state and local authorities alerting them of a heightened threat from Iran, detailing potential methods of attack and encouraging vigilance.

The White House blocked the report from being issued to law enforcement nationwide on Friday after Homeland Security officials flagged the report to them. The move infuriated members of the intelligence community who argued that these bulletins typically are issued without input from the White House to avoid politicizing intel communications.

‘They were concerned about the optics of sending anything out,’ said a senior DHS official of the White House decision to put a hold on the report, which was primarily authored by the FBI.

‘They got their asses handed to them,’ the official added of the resulting backlash.

In the last few minutes, the Israeli military has confirmed it has commenced a fresh series of strikes on Beirut, Lebanon.

The attack is targeting infrastructure that belongs to Iran-backed Hezbollah in the south of the capital, according to Israeli armed forces.

The US military has now destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels close to a major sea passage used to export oil.

‘US forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz,’ the US Central Command announced on X, with an accompanying video showing some of the strikes.

The Strait of Hormuz is the only sea passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.