The US Embassy in Baghdad advised US nationals on Thursday to "leave Iraq immediately", stating that Iranian-backed Iraqi militias may be planning attacks in central Baghdad "within the next 24 to 48 hours".
The warning comes as the fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran spills over into neighbouring Iraq, where Tehran-backed militia groups have targeted American assets.
The embassy warned that such groups "may intend to target US citizens, businesses, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other locations perceived to be associated with the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian targets".
It reminded US citizens of its Level 4 travel advisory, stating: "Do not travel to Iraq for any reason. Depart immediately if you are there."
The US Embassy additionally urged its citizens not to attempt to travel to the facility in Baghdad or its Consulate General in Erbil, Kurdistan, "due to ongoing security risks, including rockets, drones, and missiles in Iraqi airspace".
It also claimed that the Iraqi government "has failed to prevent" terrorist attacks occurring within or originating from Iraqi territory. It warned that such militia groups may claim to be associated with the Iraqi government and carry identification that could denote their status as government employees.
Since 28 February, Iraq has witnessed attacks in Baghdad, the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, as well as other parts of the country.
US-Israeli strikes have hit several Iran-backed groups and their bases , including Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Imam al-Ali.
On Thursday, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a paramilitary umbrella group, said two airstrikes targeted one of its units in the northern province of Nineveh.
On Wednesday night, US-Israeli strikes also targeted the same base, resulting in casualties.
In a further escalation, the US Diplomatic Support Center at Baghdad Airport was subject to three drone attacks, as well as northern Kurdistan’s Erbil Airport.
The province’s governor Omid Khoshnaw, said in a press release: "We recorded approximately 25 attacks on Erbil last night, without any casualties."
At least 103 people have been killed in Iraq since late February, including 69 fighters from factions aligned with Iran.
Iranian forces, as well as Tehran-aligned militia, have also launched missile and drone attacks on bases linked to Kurdish Iranian opposition groups in response to the war on Iran.
US interests located around the capital, including the embassy, have also been the target of such assaults.
Over the past two days, Baghdad has witnessed a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Camp Victory, a US military base that houses a special task force specifically tasked with protecting diplomatic missions.
This escalation comes within a highly sensitive regional context, where international and regional interests intersect on the Iraqi scene, making the country vulnerable to an increase in attacks targeting both infrastructure and military objectives.
In a new development, the US embassy has now appealed for help in stopping attacks against the facility and elsewhere.
The embassy pledged on Thursday a reward of up to $3 million for anyone who can provide any information on militia groups attacking or planning to target US interests.
This is the first time since the beginning of the war that the US Embassy has issued announcements urging Iraqis to provide information about those attacking American interests.