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A drone struck the Al-Rasheed Hotel in central Baghdad on Monday evening, sending flames and thick smoke billowing from the upper floors of the landmark building in one of the most symbolically charged attacks on the Iraqi capital since the US-Iran war began more than two weeks ago.
The strike, which hit the 18-story hotel at approximately 7 p.m. local time, was captured in eyewitness videos circulated widely on social media, showing a bright explosion followed by fire engulfing parts of the structure. The hotel's illuminated "RASHEED" sign was clearly visible against the night sky as the flames spread.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and Iraqi authorities have not confirmed the origin or type of the drone used.
No immediate civilian casualties at the hotel were reported, though the situation remained fluid as emergency personnel responded to the scene. The strike coincided with a broader wave of attacks on nearby sites, including Baghdad International Airport and facilities linked to the US presence, in which at least five people were injured.
The Al-Rasheed Hotel, completed in 1982 and situated within Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, has served for decades as the primary lodging for international diplomats, foreign journalists, and military personnel operating in the Iraqi capital.
Named after the eighth-century Caliph Harun Al-Rashid, the hotel was originally built by India's Oberoi Group during an era when Iraq's oil wealth was funding a wave of modernization across Baghdad.
The hotel gained international prominence during the 1991 Gulf War, when CNN correspondents broadcast live coverage of coalition airstrikes from its upper floors, and it remained central to foreign media operations throughout Iraq's subsequent conflicts.
In October 2003, it was struck by a barrage of rockets while then-Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying there, killing one US Army officer and wounding several others.
After years of instability, the hotel underwent significant renovations and re-established itself as one of Baghdad's premier destinations, hosting visiting dignitaries, aid workers, and business travelers.
Its location straddling the Green Zone boundary made it a strategic meeting point between the Iraqi government, foreign officials, and coalition forces.
Analysts attribute the strike to Iran-aligned groups such as Kataib Hezbollah or similar factions operating under the broader umbrella based on the tactics employed and the broader pattern of attacks that have intensified since late February.
The use of a low-cost, one-way explosive drone is consistent with the weapons deployed in numerous other strikes on US-linked targets across Iraq in recent weeks.
The attack came just two days after a missile struck a helipad at the US Embassy compound in Baghdad on March 14, with no casualties reported.
Earlier in March, drones targeted US bases near Baghdad Airport and other diplomatic sites in what were widely assessed as reprisals for the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command confirmed impacts across multiple sites on Monday but did not specifically address the hotel strike in its early statements.
The US State Department has not issued a specific comment on the Al-Rasheed attack but has renewed warnings about threats to American interests in Iraq. The US Embassy in Baghdad had warned earlier this month that Iran-aligned militia groups "may seek to target hotels frequented by foreigners" in Iraq, urging US citizens to depart the country.
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