Later, Reuters reported at least three shells that hit the centre of Baghdad, with one of them falling about 100 metres away from the US embassy. The projectiles were reportedly identified as Soviet-made Katyusha MLRS rockets.
Videos with sirens ringing out have emerged on social media.
Sirens ring out at the US Embassy in Baghdad after rocket attacks
— Baxtiyar Goran (@BaxtiyarGoran) January 8, 2020
Video: Ahmed Saeed#Iraq pic.twitter.com/80c8NvRywN
BREAKING: Rocket fire into Baghdad’s Green Zone pic.twitter.com/HaPcDaF22Z
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) January 8, 2020
Tensions have recently escalated in the region, with Iraq caught in the middle of the clashes.
On Friday, Iran's top military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in the US targeted attack on the Baghdadi International Airport. Iran took its "revenge" by conducting airstrikes on US military bases in Iraq on Wednesday.
