<p>The US deployed additional Marines to its embassy in Baghdad Tuesday to reinforce the diplomatic mission after a mob of pro-Iranian demonstrators stormed the compound, setting fires and chanting "Death to America!"</p>.<p>It was the first time in years that protesters have been able to reach the US embassy, which is sheltered behind a series of checkpoints in the Iraqi capital's high-security Green Zone.</p>.<p>Hundreds of people in military fatigues marched through those checkpoints and broke into the embassy's visitor reception building, sparking fury from President Donald Trump and other top US officials.</p>.<p>Angered by US airstrikes that killed two dozen fighters, they waved flags of Shiite paramilitary forces backed by Tehran and posters reading: "Parliament should oust US troops, or else we will!"</p>.<p>The bulk of protesters remained as night fell, setting up tents and beginning to cook dinner, signalling a possibly prolonged sit-in.</p>.<p>Demonstrators had scrawled "No to America!" and "Soleimani is my commander" on the embassy walls, referring to Tehran's pointman for Iraq, Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Revolutionary Guard Corps.</p>.<p>Trump blamed Iran and demanded Iraqi government forces to protect the embassy compound.</p>.<p>"Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible," he said via Twitter.</p>.<p>But Tehran hit back, slamming Washington for the "surprising audacity" in blaming Iran for the violence.</p>.<p>After his tweets, Trump called Iraq's caretaker premier Adel Abdel Madi to emphasise the need to protect US personnel and facilities in Iraq, the White House said.</p>.<p>Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had earlier called Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Saleh to pressure them to boost embassy security.</p>.<p>Pompeo "made clear the United States will protect and defend its people, who are there to support a sovereign and independent Iraq," the State Department said.</p>.<p>The Pentagon announced it was sending additional units to the embassy, and helicopters carrying US Marines from neighbouring Kuwait landed at the embassy late Tuesday, a security source told AFP.</p>.<p>But there were no plans to evacuate the mission and the ambassador, who had been on holiday leave, was on his way back to the embassy, US source said.</p>.<p>The assault came two days after US airstrikes killed at least 25 fighters from the hardline Kataeb Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades), a component of the Hashed al-Shaabi military network.</p>.<p>The Pentagon said the strikes were in retaliation for a rocket attack by the group which killed an American contractor in Kirkuk.</p>.<p>It was the first US casualty from a spate of rocket attacks in recent weeks.</p>.<p>"Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will," Trump tweeted Tuesday.</p>.<p>In response, Kataeb Hezbollah called for a funeral march to the US embassy.</p>.<p>Late Tuesday, the faction hailed the protest outside as a "first lesson" to Washington, "so that Trump knows he did something extremely stupid".</p>.<p>"The second lesson will be the law, which will oust the occupation forces," the force said in a statement.</p>.<p>Dozens of Iraqi lawmakers have called on the government to review an agreement allowing some 5,200 US troops in Iraq, saying the strikes violated the country's sovereignty.</p>.<p>Those troops and other US targets have been hit in recent months by around a dozen rocket attacks, with American officials pointing the finger at Tehran-backed factions.</p>.<p>Many of those groups are linked to the powerful Hashed.</p>.<p>Hashed chief Faleh al-Fayyadh -- who is also Iraq's National Security Adviser -- was among the angry crowds attacking the embassy on Tuesday, as was the country's interior minister and other Hashed leaders.</p>.<p>Demonstrators appeared to gain easy access through the Green Zone to the embassy, throwing rocks, tearing down security cameras and setting a sentry box ablaze in anger over the US strikes.</p>.<p>The Hashed said at least 62 people were wounded after US embassy guards fired an initial volley of bullets, then switched to tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds.</p>.<p>The mob attack put a focus on the strains in the US-Iraqi relationship as allies of Iran, which enjoys significant support in parts of the Iraqi government, increasingly challenge Washington's influence in the country.</p>.<p>"This may well be the low point of US policy in Iraq," said Iraq expert Fanar Haddad of Singapore University's Middle East Institute.</p>.<p>Following the deadly strikes, the Iraqi government announced three days of mourning and threatened to summon the US ambassador.</p>.<p>"American forces acted on their political priorities, not those of the Iraqis," a government statement said.</p>.<p>The attacks "force Iraq to review its relations and its security, political and legal framework to protect its sovereignty", it added.</p>
<p>The US deployed additional Marines to its embassy in Baghdad Tuesday to reinforce the diplomatic mission after a mob of pro-Iranian demonstrators stormed the compound, setting fires and chanting "Death to America!"</p>.<p>It was the first time in years that protesters have been able to reach the US embassy, which is sheltered behind a series of checkpoints in the Iraqi capital's high-security Green Zone.</p>.<p>Hundreds of people in military fatigues marched through those checkpoints and broke into the embassy's visitor reception building, sparking fury from President Donald Trump and other top US officials.</p>.<p>Angered by US airstrikes that killed two dozen fighters, they waved flags of Shiite paramilitary forces backed by Tehran and posters reading: "Parliament should oust US troops, or else we will!"</p>.<p>The bulk of protesters remained as night fell, setting up tents and beginning to cook dinner, signalling a possibly prolonged sit-in.</p>.<p>Demonstrators had scrawled "No to America!" and "Soleimani is my commander" on the embassy walls, referring to Tehran's pointman for Iraq, Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Revolutionary Guard Corps.</p>.<p>Trump blamed Iran and demanded Iraqi government forces to protect the embassy compound.</p>.<p>"Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible," he said via Twitter.</p>.<p>But Tehran hit back, slamming Washington for the "surprising audacity" in blaming Iran for the violence.</p>.<p>After his tweets, Trump called Iraq's caretaker premier Adel Abdel Madi to emphasise the need to protect US personnel and facilities in Iraq, the White House said.</p>.<p>Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had earlier called Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Saleh to pressure them to boost embassy security.</p>.<p>Pompeo "made clear the United States will protect and defend its people, who are there to support a sovereign and independent Iraq," the State Department said.</p>.<p>The Pentagon announced it was sending additional units to the embassy, and helicopters carrying US Marines from neighbouring Kuwait landed at the embassy late Tuesday, a security source told AFP.</p>.<p>But there were no plans to evacuate the mission and the ambassador, who had been on holiday leave, was on his way back to the embassy, US source said.</p>.<p>The assault came two days after US airstrikes killed at least 25 fighters from the hardline Kataeb Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades), a component of the Hashed al-Shaabi military network.</p>.<p>The Pentagon said the strikes were in retaliation for a rocket attack by the group which killed an American contractor in Kirkuk.</p>.<p>It was the first US casualty from a spate of rocket attacks in recent weeks.</p>.<p>"Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will," Trump tweeted Tuesday.</p>.<p>In response, Kataeb Hezbollah called for a funeral march to the US embassy.</p>.<p>Late Tuesday, the faction hailed the protest outside as a "first lesson" to Washington, "so that Trump knows he did something extremely stupid".</p>.<p>"The second lesson will be the law, which will oust the occupation forces," the force said in a statement.</p>.<p>Dozens of Iraqi lawmakers have called on the government to review an agreement allowing some 5,200 US troops in Iraq, saying the strikes violated the country's sovereignty.</p>.<p>Those troops and other US targets have been hit in recent months by around a dozen rocket attacks, with American officials pointing the finger at Tehran-backed factions.</p>.<p>Many of those groups are linked to the powerful Hashed.</p>.<p>Hashed chief Faleh al-Fayyadh -- who is also Iraq's National Security Adviser -- was among the angry crowds attacking the embassy on Tuesday, as was the country's interior minister and other Hashed leaders.</p>.<p>Demonstrators appeared to gain easy access through the Green Zone to the embassy, throwing rocks, tearing down security cameras and setting a sentry box ablaze in anger over the US strikes.</p>.<p>The Hashed said at least 62 people were wounded after US embassy guards fired an initial volley of bullets, then switched to tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds.</p>.<p>The mob attack put a focus on the strains in the US-Iraqi relationship as allies of Iran, which enjoys significant support in parts of the Iraqi government, increasingly challenge Washington's influence in the country.</p>.<p>"This may well be the low point of US policy in Iraq," said Iraq expert Fanar Haddad of Singapore University's Middle East Institute.</p>.<p>Following the deadly strikes, the Iraqi government announced three days of mourning and threatened to summon the US ambassador.</p>.<p>"American forces acted on their political priorities, not those of the Iraqis," a government statement said.</p>.<p>The attacks "force Iraq to review its relations and its security, political and legal framework to protect its sovereignty", it added.</p>