Caught on Camera: Baghdad Hotel Bombings, Oct. 24, 2005

Targeting the Symbols: Insurgent Assault on Baghdad’s Iconic Sites

Media Compounds in the Crosshairs

By late 2005, Baghdad’s Palestine Hotel and Sheraton Ishtar Hotel had become synonymous with the international media’s presence in Iraq. Located side by side in Firdos Square—the same plaza where Saddam Hussein’s statue was toppled in 2003—these hotels served as both symbolic and strategic strongholds. Western journalists, media production crews, and civilian contractors lived and worked within their fortified walls, making the compounds high-value targets for insurgents seeking global attention.

View of Palestine Hotel (right) and Cristal Grand Ishtar Hotel (left) in Baghdad

Insurgent Messaging Through Terror

Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and affiliated insurgent groups had long recognized the propaganda value of striking targets tied to the West. Previous car bombings and assassinations had aimed at Iraqi government officials, police recruits, and marketplaces—but a direct assault on the media would guarantee worldwide coverage. By attacking the Palestine Hotel, insurgents sought to send an unmistakable message: nowhere in Iraq was safe—not even under the protection of U.S. forces.

A Vulnerable Symbol in a Volatile Capital

Despite layers of T-walls, checkpoints, and constant surveillance, the Palestine and Sheraton hotels remained physically vulnerable. The surrounding neighborhoods of Rusafa and Karrada were rife with insurgent cells capable of staging coordinated attacks. In this environment, the coalition’s challenge was not only to defend military outposts but to safeguard these soft targets, which carried outsized political and psychological importance.

The Palestine Hotel (right) and Ishtar Hotel (left), seen above Baghdad’s Corniche and Abu Nawas Street.

The Attack: A Multi-Stage Ambush

Phase One: Breaching the Perimeter

The assault began shortly after 6:00 p.m. on October 24, 2005. A cement truck packed with explosives barreled toward the main security checkpoint at the entrance to the Palestine and Sheraton hotel complex. As it detonated, a massive fireball ripped through the blast walls, sending debris and shrapnel hundreds of meters across Firdos Square. This initial explosion tore a critical breach in the compound’s defenses, setting the stage for a follow-on assault.

Almost immediately, two additional vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs)—likely smaller sedans or SUVs—moved in to exploit the gap. One of these secondary vehicles came under intense fire from U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces. Disabled before it could reach the hotels, the second VBIED exploded near the 14th Ramadan Mosque, igniting a firestorm of chaos in the surrounding streets.

A huge explosion erupts in downtown Baghdad, Oct. 24, 2005. The Palestine Hotel, home to many foreign journalists in Iraq, was struck by two rockets and a car bomb, causing extensive damage to its rooms (AP)

Phase Two: Cement Truck Penetration Halted

The final stage of the ambush involved a second cement truck, heavily laden with explosives, speeding toward the heart of the hotel compound. The insurgents’ apparent goal was to drive the vehicle directly into the lobby of the Palestine Hotel, maximizing destruction where international journalists were based.

However, rapid response from U.S. forces and alert civilians altered the outcome. Coalition troops—reportedly including a nearby Bradley Fighting Vehicle—engaged the truck as it approached. Their firepower forced the driver to detonate the explosives prematurely, well short of the main hotel buildings. Though powerful, the blast was largely contained outside the compound’s core, sparing the hotel’s occupants from catastrophic losses.

Heroic Intervention: Soldier Thwarts Third Bomb

A Soldier’s Split-Second Decision

As the second cement truck sped toward the Palestine Hotel through the smoke and chaos, it was clear that this was the attack’s final, most devastating blow. Positioned at an observation post inside the Sheraton complex, Spc. Darrell Green of the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Baghdad, had seconds to react. Spotting the vehicle barreling through the breach, Green opened fire with his service weapon, aiming directly at the driver’s compartment.

Two men pick their way through rubble near the entrance to the Palestine Hotel on Oct. 25, shortly after three suicide bombers launched a coordinated attack in the area

Disrupting the Attack’s Climax

Green’s accurate and timely gunfire struck the driver and forced the truck to detonate prematurely. The blast occurred short of its intended target—the Palestine Hotel’s main lobby—limiting the damage to the outer security perimeter. Though the explosion still rocked the surrounding area, Green’s actions spared countless lives inside the hotel, where dozens of journalists, contractors, and Iraqi civilians were working and resting at the time.

Recognition of Valor

In the aftermath, military officials credited Spc. Green’s vigilance and courage with preventing the attack from becoming one of the deadliest strikes against the international media since the war began. His actions exemplified the front-line initiative and quick decision-making demanded of soldiers operating in Iraq’s volatile urban environments.

A woman covers her face as she walks past the site of a suicide car bomb attack in front of the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 25, 2005 (AP)

Impact Zone: Chaos Captured

Destruction in Firdos Square

The blasts struck Baghdad’s symbolic heart—Firdos Square—leaving destruction and fear in their wake. Closed-circuit cameras and live news feeds captured some of the war’s most dramatic images: towering fireballs erupting over the Palestine and Sheraton Ishtar hotels, smoke columns twisting into the twilight sky, and shockwaves that rattled nearby districts. Windows shattered across the square, facades crumbled, and the symbolic core of Baghdad’s foreign presence lay exposed and broken.

Chaos on Camera

In the immediate aftermath, coalition troops raced into the scene. Soldiers and first responders could be seen on live footage guiding disoriented civilians out of harm’s way, establishing emergency cordons, and launching triage efforts. For the foreign correspondents who had covered Iraq’s turmoil since 2003, the story had come home—the Palestine Hotel, once their sanctuary, was now ground zero.

An Iraqi man walks through the rubble left behind after a suicide car bombing in central Baghdad on Oct. 24, 2005

Toll of the Attack

The coordinated truck bombings killed at least 15 to 17 people and injured dozens more. Victims included Iraqi hotel workers, security guards, shopkeepers, and civilians caught in the blast radius. Remarkably, no U.S. or coalition forces were killed—an outcome owed to the quick defensive response and layered security measures already in place.

Psychological Shockwaves

Despite avoiding coalition casualties, the psychological impact ran deep. Baghdad’s press corps—already hardened by years of war—now faced the unsettling truth that even fortified enclaves like the Palestine Hotel were vulnerable. For nearby Iraqi civilians, it was yet another horrifying reminder of how far insurgents could reach into the heart of their daily lives.

Task Force Baghdad Soldiers survey the wreckage from a suicide car bomb attack in central Baghdad on Oct. 24, 2005. Three car bombs detonated near the Palestine and Sheraton hotels in the early evening

Securing the Blast Zone

Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division were among the first coalition troops on the scene. As smoke drifted over the rubble-strewn compound, they moved rapidly to establish a secure perimeter, assess the damage, and prevent additional attacks. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with Iraqi security forces, they cleared debris, assisted wounded civilians, and built defensive positions to block any insurgents attempting to exploit the chaos.

Stabilizing the Situation

Their quick action prevented looting, enabled firefighters to suppress lingering flames, and reassured terrified hotel guests and staff. Evacuation teams cleared pathways for emergency vehicles while combat engineers evaluated the hotels for structural risks. Within hours, coalition forces had stabilized the immediate threat.

An Iraqi policeman runs past firefighters extinguishing burning vehicles at the site of a bombing in Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 25, 2005 (AP)

Protecting Foreign Journalists

Securing the Palestine Hotel’s foreign press corps became a mission priority. Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division and Task Force Baghdad guided journalists to safer areas of the compound, accounted for missing personnel, and coordinated security with hotel managers. Media teams who had documented Iraq’s violence for years now relied on the very forces they had covered for protection.

Restoring Order

As night fell over the shattered square, U.S. troops and Iraqi police launched sweeping security checks, structural assessments, and initial repairs. Their efforts prevented secondary attacks and helped reestablish control over one of Baghdad’s most visible—and symbolically vital—zones of international presence.

U.S. soldiers secure the area in front of the Palestine Hotel (right) and the Ishtar Sheraton Hotel (left) a day after three suicide car bombs struck the compound in Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 25, 2005 (AP)

Technical Overview of the Bombing Attacks

Explosive Devices and Delivery Methods

On October 24, 2005, insurgents used large truck bombs packed with high explosives to target the Palestine Hotel and the Sheraton Ishtar Hotel in Baghdad. These truck bombs were designed to maximize blast radius and structural damage. The vehicles were rigged with several hundred pounds of explosives, enabling the attackers to breach security barriers and cause massive destruction upon detonation.

Coordinated Dual Strikes

The attacks were coordinated to strike both hotels within minutes of each other, amplifying the chaos and complicating immediate response efforts. By hitting two iconic locations that housed journalists and international visitors, the insurgents ensured widespread media coverage, spreading fear and uncertainty throughout the city.

Two Task Force Baghdad soldiers examine the burned-out shell of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device shortly after it detonated near the Palestine Hotel in central Baghdad on Oct. 25

Urban Warfare Tactics

Insurgents exploited Baghdad’s congested urban environment to maneuver large vehicle bombs close to their targets. They relied on intelligence about security patterns, traffic flow, and patrol schedules to time their approach. The attacks showcased the insurgents’ ability to operate with a high degree of planning and coordination, taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the sprawling cityscape.

Impact on Structural Integrity

The massive explosions generated fireballs and shockwaves that shattered windows, collapsed building facades, and damaged surrounding infrastructure. The blast radius extended several hundred meters, impacting not only the hotels but nearby businesses and residences. This level of destruction emphasized the potency of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) as a tactic in urban insurgency.

U.S. soldiers and Iraqi policemen investigate the scene of a car bomb explosion on Oct. 24, 2005, in Baghdad, Iraq. The bomb detonated as a U.S. military convoy passed through eastern Baghdad

Use of Secondary Threats

While the initial attacks caused significant damage, coalition forces were on alert for possible secondary strikes, a common insurgent tactic intended to target first responders. Notably, Spc. Green’s quick reaction prevented a follow-up attack near the Palestine Hotel, highlighting both the danger and necessity of constant vigilance during such incidents.

Broader Significance

Targeting the Media: Insurgents Aim for Maximum Impact

The attack on the Palestine and Sheraton Ishtar hotels was no accident. It was a calculated strike on the international media hub in Baghdad. A senior U.S. official said the bombing was “designed for media attention”. By hitting the Palestine Hotel, home to many foreign correspondents, insurgents ensured global headlines.

This was more than just violence—it was propaganda. The attack sent a clear message: no place in Baghdad, no matter how protected, was safe. It struck at coalition forces, the Iraqi government, and international perceptions of the war.

The Palestine Hotel, a base for many foreign journalists, was bombed in October 2005 (Getty)

Tactics and Lessons: Exposing Urban Vulnerabilities

The bombing revealed the challenges of protecting soft targets in a crowded city. Despite security layers around the hotels, insurgents exploited gaps using deception and brute force. Multiple vehicles breached perimeter defenses.

Soldiers like Spc. Mario Green, who fired on a suicide truck before it reached the hotel wall, showed the importance of alert troops on the front lines. His quick actions likely saved many lives and became a lesson in proactive defense.

After the attack, military planners pushed for bigger stand-off zones, better checkpoints, and stronger barriers at vulnerable sites.

Repercussions for Media and Security: Redefining the Front Line

For journalists, the attack was a wake-up call. Many reassessed their safety, moving operations further inside coalition compounds or to safer areas. The idea of the “Green Zone” as a safe sanctuary was shattered—the front lines now ran through their hotel lobbies.

Coalition forces rethought how to protect civilian hubs. Embedding troops within media compounds and increasing Iraqi force presence at soft targets became priorities. These changes aimed to reassure residents and maintain control in Baghdad’s center.

The bombings marked a brutal chapter in Baghdad’s battle—a fight not just of weapons, but of images and global narratives.

Smoke rises hundreds of meters into the sky following an explosion near Baghdad’s Palestine Hotel. Photograph (Ali al-Saadi/AFP/Getty Images)

Final Analysis

Insurgents’ Reach and Media Targeting

The October 24 bombings at the Palestine and Sheraton Ishtar hotels revealed insurgents’ capability to strike high-profile, symbolic targets deep within Baghdad. By attacking media hubs frequented by foreign journalists, insurgents aimed to disrupt the flow of information and intimidate both the Iraqi population and the international community. These attacks underscored the persistent threat within the city’s fractured security landscape and highlighted the vulnerabilities even in supposedly secure zones.

Coalition Response and Evolving Security

Despite the devastation, coalition forces responded swiftly and decisively. Soldiers like Spc. Darrell Green demonstrated courage and rapid action by preventing further destruction through timely engagement of the attackers. The response included establishing secure perimeters, aiding victims, and reassessing security protocols. These events prompted adjustments in urban counterterrorism tactics, emphasizing protection for civilian and media sites, and reshaping how journalists operated in conflict zones.

The bombings remain a sobering reminder of the unpredictable and dangerous nature of warfare within Baghdad’s urban environment.