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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Bronwen Weatherby

Rocket falls near US embassy and military air base in Iraq hours after funeral for top Iranian general

A rocket has fallen near the US embassy in Iraq hours after a funeral for a top Iranian general killed in a US airstrike was held in the country.

The rocket hit near the embassy compound in the Iraqi capital's Green Zone - a heavily fortified area home to government buildings and foreign embassies.

Iraqi military sources told Reuters there were no casualties.

It came after mourners chanted "death to America" during the service held for General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed after US President Donald Trump ordered his execution via drone strike.

Another two Katyusha rockets hit Iraq's Balad air base which houses US forces.

Iran has vowed to seek revenge for the US air strike which killed one of its top generals and several more (AFP via Getty Images)

It is unclear how many troops are at the base but there are currently no reports of injuries at the site.

However, mortar falling in Baghdad's Jadriya neighbourhood has wounded five people.

General Soleimani was the head of Iran's elite Quds force and was killed when his motorcade was bombed early on Friday near the international airport in Iraq's capital.

Iran has since said it will seek revenge for the airstrike and will punish Americans as the US said it was sending 3,000 more troops to the region amid soaring tensions.

Iraq's Prime Minister has declared three days of national mourning for the general and the others killed in the air strike.

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