A large group of protestors have mobilized to storm the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq Tuesday in response to U.S. airstrikes that targeted Iran-backed Kata’ib Hizbollah (KH) targets in Iraq and Syria on Sunday.

The group can be seen in many video circulating social media shouting “Death to America” as they set parts of the embassy ablaze and destroy portions of its structure.

“The U.S. and its coalition partners fully respect Iraqi sovereignty, and support a strong and independent Iraq. The U.S., however, will not be deterred from exercising its right of self-defense,” Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement Monday, following the U.S. airstrikes.

Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019

The U.S. strike was a defensive step to target Iran and its proxies, a Senior State Department Official said Monday. The group (KH) is responsible for recent attacks in the region the most recent of which resulted in the death of one American citizen. Four U.S. service members and two members of the Iraqi Security Forces were also injured in the attack, according to the Pentagon. In response, the U.S. killed 25 KH militants in the defensive strike, according to reports.

“Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified,” Trump wrote on Twitter Tuesday.

Iraqi soldiers are protecting those inside the embassy. Some of the embassy’s staff has already evacuated including the security team , an Iraqi employee working at the embassy told the Associated Press.