A drone attack on the US embassy in Riyadh caused a fire as Iran’s retaliatory strikes escalate across the Gulf region, targeting multiple nations.
RIYADH: A drone attack on the US embassy in Riyadh sparked a fire early Tuesday as Iran pressed on with retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said the attack involved two drones, resulting in “a limited fire and minor material damage to the building.”
The embassy later confirmed the incident and urged people to stay away, announcing its closure for the day. It issued a shelter-in-place order for American citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran.
Witnesses reported seeing smoke over the embassy compound and hearing loud explosions in the diplomatic quarter. A Saudi military source, speaking anonymously, said air defences intercepted four drones targeting the area.
Later on Tuesday, the Saudi defence ministry stated it had intercepted and destroyed eight drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj.
These attacks coincided with a wider wave of Iranian missiles and drones targeting Gulf states. The UAE defence ministry reported dealing with a barrage of ballistic missiles from Iran.
Qatar’s military also intercepted two ballistic missiles early Tuesday morning, according to its defence ministry.
Iran’s salvos have struck ports, airports, and residential buildings across the region. On Monday, smoke was seen pouring from the US embassy in Kuwait City.
Diplomatic sources, speaking anonymously, told AFP the Kuwait embassy was damaged by several drones, with one source stating the building was struck directly.
