Protesters outside U.S. Baghdad embassy rage against air strikes

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters and militia fighters gathered on Tuesday outside the main gate of the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad to condemn air strikes on bases belonging to an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq.

U.S. forces carried out air strikes on Sunday against the Kataib Hezbollah militia in response to the killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base.

The strikes risk drawing Iraq further into a proxy conflict between the United States and Iran at a time when it is being rocked by mass protests against the political system.

Some protesters threw stones at the gate while others chanted, “No, no, America! ... No, no, Trump!” Iraqi special forces were deployed around the main gate to prevent them entering the embassy.