The United States Embassy in Riyadh was struck by two drones early on Tuesday, according to the Saudi Ministry of Defence, causing a limited fire and minor material damage at the diplomatic compound in the Saudi capital.
In an official statement, the ministry said the fire was quickly brought under control and no casualties were reported. The embassy building was empty at the time of the attack, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Black smoke was seen rising over Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, which houses several foreign missions. Witnesses told Reuters they heard a loud explosion and saw flames at the compound, though officials described the fire as small in scale.
A source close to the Saudi military said air defence systems intercepted four drones targeting the diplomatic quarter during the incident. Authorities are investigating the origin of the drones as regional tensions continue to escalate.
The attack comes amid heightened conflict in the Gulf following recent United States and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions across the region.
US President Donald Trump said the American response to the embassy attack and the killing of four US service members would be announced soon. “You’ll find out soon,” he told NewsNation.
Earlier, the US mission in Saudi Arabia issued a shelter-in-place advisory for American citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran, urging them to remain indoors and avoid the embassy until further notice.
Saudi authorities said the situation is under control, but security measures remain heightened across diplomatic facilities in the capital.
Drone Attack Hits US Embassy in Riyadh , KSA
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