Thread by @HeshmatAlavi

#BREAKING
1)
Massive explosion rocks the Dora district of southern Baghdad, Iraq.
The military site is reportedly affiliated to the #Iran-backed Shiiite militias (PMU/PMF).
Blasts are ongoing - via @thestevennabil

@thestevennabil 2)
Locals are talking about a weapons depot inside a PMU/PMF base going off, “the sounds of a missile being fired," says @thestevennabil.

@thestevennabil 3)
Explosions reported the Ain Ul-Saqr (Hawkeye) military base, affiliated to the Iranian-backed PMU/PMF.
The base has a large ammunition depot and is located in the Dora district of southern Baghdad, Iraq.
Credit: @no_itsmyturn

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn 4)
Map of the Dora district in southern Baghdad, Iraq.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn 5)
#UPDATE
Shells are falling in and around Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone following an explosion in an arms depot belonging to the #Iran-backed PMF/PMU Shiite militia located south of the Iraqi capital.
Sirens heard from the U.S. Embassy.
Source: @skynewsarabia

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia 6)
Images of the base & the massive explosion.
Credit: @IntelliTimes & @AmichaiStein1

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 7)
#UPDATE
UNCONFIRMED REPORTS

- Unidentified warplanes (possibly Israeli) bombed the #Iran-backed PMF/PMU site in southern Baghdad.

- Tehran-backed Shiite militia groups launched Katiusha rockets targeting the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. No damages/casualties reported.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 8)
More footage of today's massive explosions at a militia base affiliated to the #Iran-backed PMF/PMU Shiite militias in southern Baghdad, Iraq.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 9)
Terrified locals seen fleeing a southern Baghdad neighborhood due to continuous explosins and rockets launching from the #Iran-backed militia base.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 10)
More footage of the southern Baghdad explosions (from various angles).

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 11)
"Blast at pro-Iranian militia base weapons depot rocks Baghdad"
timesofisrael.com/blast-at-pro-i…

More footage of the blast site.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 12)
The moment of explosion captured by locals.

Reports indicate this is a joint missile base of #Iran-backed Iraqi militias (Seyed al-Shohada Brigade of the PMF/PMU) & the IRGC Quds Force.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 13)
#UPDATE
Reports at 9:15 pm (Iraq time) indicate continuing explosions at #Iran-backed militia site in southern Baghdad.

Speculations continue of a possible Israeli airstrike targeting a missile silo at the PMF/PMU base.

Others claiming fire incident.

Nothing confirmed yet.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 14)
@Joyce_Karam cites the Iraqi government saying the blast site is a “federal police military base.”

My take:
The very fact that Baghdad is making such a statement further raises the stakes of today's important development.
IMO, this is a highly sensitive base for #Iran.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 @Joyce_Karam 15)
#UPDATE
@skynewsarabia reporting one individual killed and 29 injured resulting from the blasts at the #Iran-backed Shiite militia arms depot in southern Baghdad.

@thestevennabil @no_itsmyturn @skynewsarabia @IntelliTimes @AmichaiStein1 @Joyce_Karam 16)
Aletejah TV, known as a pro-Iran militia TV network, broadcast this footage claiming an unidentified plane flew over the base in southern Baghdad at the time of today's massive blast.

17)
CLAIMS:
- #Iran-backed PMU/PMF used an Iraqi Federal Police base as cover to store IRGC missiles.
- Tehran prevented Iraqi PM from replacing Federal Police chief Lt. Gen. Raed Shaker Joudat for his role in opening the Federal Police HQ & depots the IRGC and Shiite militias.

18)
CLAIMS:
- Today's "rocket attack" targeting the IRGC/Shiite militia base in southern Baghdad was carried out after the transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran's border to the camp with the Iraqi Federal Police facilitating the process.

19)
New report claims 14 people were injured as a cause of severe explosions in an #Iran-backed militia weapons depot.

Rockets, set off by major fires, landed in neighborhoods several kilometers away, injuring 14 people, mostly children.

20)
Following Monday's explosion, Iraq closed the Mandali border crossing with Iran, reports claim.
Per the order, all crossing employees were requested to be transferred to other border crossings.

21)
#UPDATE
Iraqi PM Adel Abdul Mahdi said to be visiting the site of yesterday's massive explosion at a base of an #Iran-backed Shiite militia group in southern Baghdad.