US Navy diverted 2,200 fighters on board orbit to take part in military drill off the coast of Morocco • Firing at US targets in Iraq

• US Navy assault ship and Marines amphibious force // Photo: Reuters

Media outlets in the United States reported that the United States would send more than 2,000 Marines to the Middle East, in addition to reinforcing the forces already announced earlier today.

The US Navy reportedly had an amphibious assault ship aboard 2,200 Marines, which was expected to participate in the "Aryan Sea" exercise off the coast of Morocco, deflecting off its course and sailing towards the Middle East, due to increased tensions in the region.

Rocket scene in Baghdad's administration district

The news comes after yesterday it was announced that 3,000 troops from the 88th Division will be dispatched to the Persian Gulf and Iraq to reinforce the US military in the area.

"The amphibious force will perform routine tasks in the new sector while demonstrating the flexibility inherent in our naval power," said Lt. Comedor Matthew Conner, spokesman for the US Sixth Fleet, adding: "Due to the sensitive nature of the information, we will not detail the power missions."

A loud explosion was heard in the heart of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, city residents said to their agent tonight. Iraqi media reported that rockets had been fired at the Green Zone, the administration district and foreign offices in the capital.

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It was also reported that a Katyusha missile landed in the green area but did not cause any damage or casualties. The Iraqi media claims that the target of the attack is the United States Embassy in Iraq. It was also reported that two more missiles were fired at the US Air Force base near the city of Blood, north of Baghdad. Five civilians were injured in a rocket that fell in a residential neighborhood not far from the U.S. Embassy.

Iraqi Hezbollah Battalions, a Shiite organization operating under the auspices of Iran in Iraq, in a statement after reports of Baghdad's Katyusha shooting: "Starting tomorrow evening, we recommend that the security forces in the country stay away from US bases for at least a kilometer.