Iraqi counter-terrorism forces stand guard in front of the US embassy in the capital Baghdad on January 2, 2020.
Ahmad Al-Rubaye | AFP | Getty Images
Two rockets hit the Green Zone in Iraq’s capital of Baghdad, a day after Iran launched missiles at bases housing U.S. and other coalition forces in Iraq, according to a report Wednesday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average pared gains following reports of an explosion in Baghdad. It closed 161 points higher but about 80 points lower than it had been just before the news.
Iraq’s military said two Katyusha rockets fell inside the Green Zone, the section that contains the U.S. Embassy, other embassies of Western nations and foreign businesses, according to Reuters.
There were no casualties, according to the statement from Iraq’s military.
The White House and Pentagon had no immediate comment.
The rockets were fired several hours after President Donald Trump declared that Iran appeared to be standing down from military conflict with the U.S. — remarks that sent stock indexes surging higher.
On Tuesday night Eastern time, Iran launchd missile attacks against two Iraqi bases that house U.S. military and coalition forces.
The barrage was retaliation for the killing on Thursday of Iran’s top military leader, Gen. Qasem Soleimani, in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad.
Trump on Wednesday defended the decision to target Soleimani, who has been blamed for the deaths of hundreds of Americans in the Middle East.
