A fire tore through a newly opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut overnight, killing at least 61 people, authorities said Thursday as grief-stricken families searched for missing relatives.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States on Thursday announced the return of its embassy staff in Baghdad and consulate in Erbil, following their ordered departure ahead last month’s Israel-Iran conflict.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but the governor said initial results from an investigation would be announced within 48 hours.

Civil defence teams rescued more than 45 people who were trapped inside the building, which includes a restaurant and a supermarket.

The United States denounced Tuesday recent drone attacks in Iraq, including ones that hit oil fields in the autonomous Kurdistan region, the US embassy in Baghdad said. "

An Iranian-launched drone was caught on camera flying directly toward the U.S. Consulate in northern Iraq before exploding in a fiery blast, sending shockwaves across the region.The dramatic video shows the moment of impact near the diplomatic compound,