Riyadh: Two drones struck the United States Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, early Tuesday, sparking a “limited fire” and causing minor material damage to the diplomatic compound, according to the Saudi Ministry of Defence, Al Jazeera reported.
The attack targeted the embassy in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, an area that houses numerous foreign missions. Black smoke was seen rising over the district following the strike, and witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing flames at the compound. Authorities stated that the fire that broke out after the drone impact was small in scale and was quickly brought under control.
The embassy building was unoccupied at the time of the attack, and there were no reports of casualties. Two people familiar with the matter confirmed that no staff were inside the facility when the drones hit. Saudi officials stated that the damage was limited to property.
A source close to the Saudi military said air defence systems intercepted four additional drones targeting the Diplomatic Quarter during the assault. The incident comes amid escalating regional tensions, with reports of further drone activity linked to Iran’s retaliation across the Gulf following recent US-Israeli strikes.
US President Donald Trump indicated that Washington’s response to the embassy attack and the killing of four American service members would be announced soon, signalling potential further escalation.
Earlier in the day, the US Embassy issued a shelter-in-place advisory to American citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran, urging them to remain indoors and avoid the embassy premises. The US Mission to Saudi Arabia said it was closely monitoring the regional security situation as tensions continue to rise across the Gulf.