Missile strikes helipad inside US Embassy compound in Baghdad

A missile hit a helipad within the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, according to two security officials. They reported that the missile landed inside the embassy's walls, which is located in the Green Zone, a heavily protected area in central Baghdad that contains Iraqi government buildings and foreign embassies. The officials requested anonymity because they are not allowed to talk to the media. Video footage from the Associated Press showed smoke rising from the embassy compound. The U.S. embassy is one of the largest diplomatic facilities in the world and has faced numerous rocket and drone attacks in the past, mainly from militias aligned with Iran. These groups have recently increased their attacks on bases that host U.S. and coalition forces. Additionally, a drone strike in northern Iraq on Thursday resulted in the death of a French soldier and injured several others who were part of an international coalition.