US reported pulling half of its diplomats out of Baghdad

While some sources report that dozens of diplomats are being pulled out of the embassy in the fortified Green Zone of Baghdad, the State Department on Wednesday confirmed only that “a staff reduction was underway” without specifics. Next month marks the first anniversary of the US drone strike that killed Iran’s top military strategist Qassem Soleimani. Last month, its top nuclear scientist Moshen Fakhrizadeh was killed in an attack for which America’s ally Israel is blamed by Tehran. Iran has threatened retribution for both losses.