The US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was hit by two suspected Iranian drones early on Tuesday morning, the latest American diplomatic mission in the Middle East to be hit after Iran launched retaliatory strikes in response to Israel's military action.
A loud blast was heard, and thick, black smoke was seen rising above the US Embassy in Riyadh. Videos circulating on social media show flames and smoke, underscoring the intensity of the attack.
Here's the video
Witnesses in the Saudi capital’s diplomatic quarter also reported explosions followed by plumes of dark smoke billowing into the sky, heightening fears of further strikes on American facilities across the region.
Trump warns 'you'll find out soon'
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that people will find out soon what the retaliation will be to an attack on the US embassy in Riyadh. Speaking to NewsNation in an interview cited by a reporter on X, Trump said, "You'll find out soon what the retaliation will be," referring both to the embassy strike and to the deaths of US military personnel in the ongoing confrontation with Iran.
Meanwhile, Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed early Tuesday that the US Embassy was hit by two drones, resulting in what it described as a "limited fire" and minor material damage. "The US Embassy in Riyadh was subjected to an attack by two drones according to initial estimates, resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building," a spokesperson for the defence ministry said.
A defence ministry spokesperson said initial assessments indicated no large-scale destruction.
Following the incident, the US Mission to Saudi Arabia said it had issued "a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region." "We recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately," it said in a post on X after the drone strikes.
The attack comes a day after the US Embassy in Kuwait was also targeted, highlighting a widening escalation in Iranian strikes across the Gulf region.
Iran begins efforts to destroy American political center
Afterward, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had begun efforts to destroy "American political centers" in the region. "The explosion at the Washington embassy in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is a move in this direction," the IRGC posted on Telegram.
The hit on the US Embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh is among several US military and diplomatic installations that have been targeted by Iran.
Also Read: Israel-US-Iran War Live: Iran launches fresh attack on US base in Kuwait
Also Read: US urges Americans to 'immediately leave' over a dozen Middle Eastern countries, including Israel
