US embassy in Baghdad urges citizens to 'depart Iraq immediately'

The US embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens in Iraq on Friday to "depart immediately", for fear of fallout from a US strike that killed top Iranian and Iraqi commanders.

"US citizens should depart via airline while possible, and failing that, to other countries via land," the embassy said in a statement.

The US strike hit outside Baghdad airport early Friday but security sources told AFP it was still open to flights.