A loud blast shook the US Embassy in Riyadh on Monday night as black smoke rose above the compound. Witnesses told Reuters they saw smoke over the Diplomatic Quarter, home to foreign missions in the Saudi capital.
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said two drones struck the embassy, causing a limited fire and minor damage. The attack followed a wave of Iranian missile and drone strikes across the region after Israeli military action. US President Donald Trump vowed retaliation for the embassy attack and the deaths of six American service members. He said ground troops may now be required, shifting from earlier remarks.
The US Embassy issued shelter-in-place alerts for Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran. Officials also restricted non-essential travel to military sites. Other US missions faced unrest. Embassies in Kuwait and Jordan were struck, while staff in Amman were temporarily evacuated. In Baghdad, protesters clashed with security forces near the heavily fortified Green Zone.
Since the weekend strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian cities, regional tensions have surged. Iran responded with attacks across the Gulf states. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei condemned the strikes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Americans to leave parts of the Middle East, citing serious safety risks.
