INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Approximately seven mortar rounds landed in the United States Embassy compound in Baghdad during an attack early on Friday, a United States
military official told Reuters, in what appeared to be the largest attack of its kind in recent memory.United States forces in Iraq and
Syria were also targeted with rockets and drones at least five more times on Friday; three times at separate bases in Syria, and twice at
the Ain al-Asad airbase west of Baghdad, a different United States defense official told Reuters.The attacks were the most recorded against
United States forces in the region in a single day since mid-October, when Iran-aligned militias started targeting United States assets in
Iraq and Syria over Washington&s backing of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a call
with Iraq&s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, condemned the attacks and singled out Iran-aligned armed groups Kataib Hezbollah and
Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba for the recent targeting of United States personnel.The United States reserves the right to respond decisively
against those groups,& Austin told Sudani, according to a Pentagon statement summarizing the call.The embassy attack marked the first time
it had been fired on in more than a year, apparently widening the range of targets
Dozens of military bases housing United States forces have been attacked, increasing fears of a broadening regional conflict.No group
claimed responsibility, but previous attacks against United States forces have been carried out by Iran-aligned militias operating under
the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.The post US embassy in Baghdad struck with seven mortars as attacks escalate first appeared on
