US-Iran war: drones hit US Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Trump vows response

The United States Embassy in Riyadh came under drone attack early Tuesday, triggering a limited fire and minor structural damage at the diplomatic compound, according to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence.

Saudi officials said two drones struck the embassy in the capital’s Diplomatic Quarter, an area that houses multiple foreign missions. Witnesses cited by news agencies reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing smoke rising from the site. Authorities described the ensuing blase as small and quickly contained, with no casualties reported. Sources familiar with the matter said the embassy building was unoccupied at the time.

A Saudi military source told AFP that air defence systems intercepted four additional drones targeting the district, underscoring heightened tensions across the Gulf as Iran retaliates against recent US-Israeli military operations.

The US Embassy issued a “shelter in place” advisory for American citizens in Riyadh, as well as in Jeddah and Dhahran, urging them to avoid the compound until further notice. The US State Department has also kept its embassy in Kuwait closed following reports that the facility there was struck a day earlier.

US President Donald Trump signaled that Washington’s response would be forthcoming. In remarks to NewsNation, he said Americans would “find out soon” how the United States would react to the embassy strike and to the deaths of US service members in recent Iranian attacks. He added that he did not anticipate deploying ground troops to Iran.

The attack on the Riyadh mission marks a further escalation in a widening regional conflict that has already disrupted air travel, shipping routes and diplomatic operations across the Middle East.