Iraqi air defenses targeted a drone flying over the Green Zone, where the US embassy is located and heavily guarded, but failed to shoot it down.

According to AFP, citing military sources, Iraqi air defenses detected a drone flying over Baghdad's Green Zone on the evening of April 28. "Air defense systems opened fire on the target," the source said, adding that the drone was not shot down.

Ships from the attempt to intercept the drone injured one person. The type of drone and its operator are unknown. An AFP reporter had previously heard gunfire and small explosions in the area.

The US embassy complex in Baghdad on March 14. Photo: AFP

Security sources told Reuters that Iraqi security forces fired on a drone flying over the Green Zone, believing it to be a reconnaissance vehicle. They said the drone successfully escaped, and there was no information about material damage or casualties.

US and Iraqi officials have not commented on the information.

The Green Zone, approximately 10 square kilometers in size, is a heavily guarded area in Baghdad. It houses important Iraqi government headquarters and numerous diplomatic facilities, including the US embassy.

This is the first such incident in Baghdad since the ceasefire between the US and Iran took effect on April 8. Following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq have targeted US infrastructure, including the embassy in Baghdad and other facilities.

The March 14 attack on the US embassy in Baghdad completely destroyed the Giraffe 1X surveillance radar, a device designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and costing over $2 million. US forces subsequently installed a replacement radar and had to equip themselves with drone cages to enhance their defenses.

Washington also retaliated by attacking positions and bases of Iraqi militia groups, killing dozens of fighters.