Baghdad, Iraq – The US embassy in Baghdad has urged Americans to leave Iraq, warning that "Iran-aligned militias" may carry out attacks in central Baghdad within 24-48 hours.
"These actors may target U.S. citizens, companies, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other sites believed to be associated with the United States, in addition to Iraqi institutions and civilian targets," the embassy said.
The embassy goes on to say that routine consular services are suspended and urges US citizens to "leave Iraq now."
Key developments:
- US embassy in Baghdad warns of Iran-aligned militia attacks within 24-48 hours
- Americans urged to leave Iraq immediately as consular services suspended
- Israel intercepts three waves of Iranian missiles; four lightly wounded
- More than 5,000 killed across Middle East since Iran war began
- 3,519 killed in Iran including 244 children, per HRANA
- 1,318 killed in Lebanon including 124 children
- Trump says US "doesn't need" Strait of Hormuz, others "must grab it"
- Iran rejects Trump's ceasefire claim as "false and baseless"
US Embassy Issues Urgent Warning
New York-based think tank, the Soufan Center, has said that Donald Trump's speech suggests he "is willing to leave the strait of Hormuz off the table, leaving other nations to deal with the consequences."
Trump's message was that the United States can sustain its own economic and energy ecosystem, while countries dependent on regional exports will either have to buy from the United States or manage the strait themselves.
While Trump explicitly thanked US allies in the Persian Gulf for their cooperation and allyship, an expedited US withdrawal without securing the strait will leave many of these countries, whose economies are dependent on energy exports, in the lurch.
Israel Under Missile Attack
Israel's military said air defences responded to three waves of Iranian missile fire early Thursday, with media reporting several light injuries in the Tel Aviv area.
The third reported salvo came shortly after Donald Trump delivered an address to the American public about the Middle East war.
After the first attack, police said officers were called to "several" impact sites in central Israel, with media reports putting the number at nine. Four people were lightly wounded, the reports said, citing medics.
Israeli media attributed the damage across a relatively wide area to the use of cluster munitions, which explode mid-air and scatter bomblets. Iran and Israel have previously accused each other of using cluster bombs.
Within just over three hours of the first attack, the military announced it had again "identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel," triggering air raid sirens across much of northern and central Israel.
Trump's Oval Office Address
Donald Trump's Wednesday evening address was an opportunity to use a wide audience to articulate clear objectives for the war, after weeks of changing goals and often contradictory messages about whether he's winding down or ready to escalate military operations.
He said America's "core strategic objectives are nearing completion," but he also spent much of his time repeating many of the same things he said in recent weeks.
He criticised previous US administrations for failing to tackle Iran's nuclear programme, saying previous presidents "made mistakes and I am correcting them."
"For years, everyone has said that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. But in the end, those are just words if you're not willing to take action when the time comes."
Earlier on Wednesday the president said he did not care about Iran's stock of highly enriched uranium (HEU) as it was deep underground and could be monitored by satellite. He reiterated on Wednesday evening saying Iran's various nuclear sites are under "intense satellite surveillance and control."
"If we see them make a move, even a move for it, we will hit them with missiles very hard again."
Trump claimed the military action was launched to help America's allies in the region, and also pointedly thanked "Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain," adding he would not let them get hurt.
"We're now totally independent of the Middle East, and yet we are there to help … We don't have to be there. We don't need their oil. We don't need anything they have … We're there to help our allies."
The president was particularly critical of Barack Obama's 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, reiterating his longstanding derision of that framework, and commending his decision to pull out of it during his first term.
"His Iran deal would have led to a colossal arsenal of massive nuclear weapons for Iran."
Casualty Toll Mounts
More than 5,000 people have been killed across the Middle East since the war in Iran began, according to death tolls from various groups compiled by the Reuters news agency.
The casualty numbers are concentrated in Iran and Lebanon, but also include countries throughout the gulf, Israel, Syria, Iraq and the West Bank.
In Iran, US-based rights group HRANA said 3,519 people have been killed since the war erupted. It said 1,598 of those were civilians, including at least 244 children.
Lebanese authorities say 1,318 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since 2 March, including at least 124 children. More than 400 fighters from Hezbollah have been killed since the Lebanese armed group launched attacks in a new war with Israel.
Three United Nations peacekeepers from Indonesia were also killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon, one from a roadside explosion, the other involving a projectile.
Iran Rejects Ceasefire Claims
On Wednesday, Iran rejected Donald Trump's claim that its leadership asked for a ceasefire, calling the US president's statement "false" and "baseless."
Tehran has repeatedly said there are no ongoing negotiations to end the war. The country's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has previously said Iran had the "necessary will" for a ceasefire, but only if its foes guaranteed hostilities would not resume.
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