Photo: AFP

US ambassador to Iraq and diplomatic staff evacuated from the embassy in Bagdad following protests outside embassy.

Thousands of Iraqi protesters congregated outside the US embassy in Iraq on Tuesday ahead of the US airstrikes in Iraq, AFP reported. 

According to previous reports, the US Department of Defense announced Sunday a precision strike by US military on a Shiite armed target in Iraq and Syria, in retaliation against the attack on Iraq's military bases and killing of US troops. The Shiite militia is believed to be an Iran-backed group. US officials have warned of "extra action" to deter Iran and its aides.