US embassy in Riyadh targeted by drones; Saudi air defences intercept four
Two drones struck the US embassy in Riyadh early Tuesday, triggering a small fire and causing minor damage to the building, Saudi authorities said, as Iran continued its wave of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.In a statement, a spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said preliminary assessments confirmed that the US diplomatic mission in Riyadh had been targeted. “The attack resulted in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building,” the statement noted.According to AFP, smoke was seen rising from the compound housing the embassy and a source close to the Saudi military, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said air defence systems intercepted four drones aimed at Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter during the incident.Following the attack, the US embassy issued a shelter-in-place advisory for American citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran as a precautionary measure.Reacting to the news, US President Donald Trump indicated that a response is imminent. Speaking to NewsNation, the US President said the nature of the retaliation would be revealed soon, according to a reporter from the outlet who shared details of the interview on X on Monday.Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said that two drones struck the US embassy in Riyadh, sparking a limited fire and causing minor material damage, based on an initial assessment shared in a post on X on Tuesday.
