Story:
Video footage of Iran Attacking the US Embassy Causing World War 3 in 2020
Fact Check:
A short video in circulation online alleges to show the footage of Iran Attacking the US Embassy Causing World War 3 in 2020. Although the video is real, the allegations of World War 3 are not so.
About the Video of Iran Attacking US Embassy
The video in question shows a large group of angry people and police breaking glasses of a building and security. It shows protesters raising various flags and slogans as Smoke is also visible rising from a building. The video in fact shows Iran-backed Militia attacking the US Embassy in Iraq (Baghdad) on 31st December 2019 after US Air raid on the Kata’ib Hezbollah militia (more on this later in detail). To clarify, below is a news report video showing some glimpses from the scenes appearing in the video, along with the fire causing smoke.
The distinctive yellow flag you see in the video in fact belongs to the Kata’ib Hezbollah (Brigades of the Party of God) group, a powerful Iraqi Shia militia supported by Iran. United States of America has designated the group as a terrorist organization since 2009.
US Airstrikes and Consequences
On 29th December 2019, the US military carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against the Kata’ib Hezbollah militia, killing at least 25 people overnight. US said the airstrike was in response to the killing of an American civilian contractor in a rocket attack on a US military base in Iraq. It also said weapons caches and command and control centers at five sites associated with the militia were hit. The video below shows an aftermath of the strike on Kata’ib Hezbollah’s headquarters in the Iraqi town of Qaim.
Post the US airstrike, an Iraqi militia leader in fact warned US of a strong response. Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei promised “harsh vengeance”, “jihad” and “crushing revenge”. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi also condemned the US air strikes. He described the American attack as an unacceptable, vicious assault that will have dangerous consequences. The attacks “force Iraq to review its relations and its security, political and legal framework to protect its sovereignty“, the government added. In addition to the attack on US Embassy in Iraq, the wave of protest resulted in setting of fire to a number of Iranian consulate buildings in the country.
Another Strike Killing Iran Gen. Qasem Soleimani
Days after the protesters attacked the US Embassy in Baghdad, US conducted another airstrike in Baghdad during early hours of 3rd Jan 2020. It killed Iran’s powerful military commander, General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, commander of Kata’ib Hezbollah group. At the time of strike ordered by US President Donald Trump, General Qasem Soleimani was at Baghdad airport, along with other Iran-backed militia figures. After the killing, Trump said the general was “directly and indirectly responsible for the deaths of millions of people“.
Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani
The killing of Iran’s powerful General Qasem Soleimani escalated tensions between Washington and Tehran. Foreign Minister of Iran, Javad Zarif described the US’ act as international terrorism and an extremely dangerous & foolish escalation. He also said US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism.
All these attacks created a dramatic escalation in a ‘shadow war’ in the Middle East between Iran and the United States. In effect of the rising threats to American forces in the region, United States sent thousands of additional troops as a precaution.
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