In a brazen display of violence, a dozen masked men jumped out of two SUVs and stormed a KFC in Baghdad, wrecking everything in sight before fleeing the scene, according to a report.
Just days earlier, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken and Chili House, also popular American brands in the Iraqi capital, faced a similar wave of violence.
Though no one was seriously hurt, the attacks, allegedly orchestrated by Iran-backed anti-American militias in Iraq, reflect the growing anger against the US over the war in Gaza, according to the Associated Press.
For years, Iraqi governments have navigated a tenuous path between Washington and Tehran, but the eight-month-long war in Gaza has dramatically heightened the stakes.
The conflict intensified after the militant group Hamas stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensives have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians in the besieged territory.
The assaults on US-linked businesses and brands in Iraq in late May and earlier this week mark a major shift intended to amplify anti-US sentiment over Washington's backing of Israel.
In another incident, a sound bomb was thrown outside the Caterpillar company store, rattling the neighborhood and leaving a small pothole in the street, reported the AP.
On Monday, Abu Ali al-Askari, spokesperson for the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah paramilitary group, called on supporters to target businesses and organizations considered to have links to the US and Israel, referring to them as "espionage affiliates covered in civilian garb."
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski condemned the targeting of American and international franchises in a post on X, saying it could impact foreign investment in Iraq's economy.
Iraq's security spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Tahseen al-Khafaji, told the AP:
"We are making significant efforts to safeguard investments and the progress achieved by the current government."
Adding, "It is essential to protect these accomplishments and create a safe environment for investors."
However, al-Askari still warned security officials not to interfere with efforts to "take out" American interests in Iraq.
