RIYADH.
Iranian drones targeted the United States Embassy in Riyadh early Tuesday, igniting fears of a wider regional war.
The attack, part of Tehran’s retaliatory barrage following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, caused minor damage ,but underscored the vulnerability of diplomatic sites amid soaring tensions.
According to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Defense, “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.” No casualties were reported at the embassy, but the incident has prompted heightened security measures across the kingdom.This strike comes amid Iran’s aggressive counteroffensive in the Gulf, launched after US and Israeli forces assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and targeted nuclear and military sites in Iran on February 28. Tehran has fired over 1,000 drones and missiles at US bases and civilian infrastructure in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, killing at least nine in Israel and several in the UAE, including migrant workers. Damage to Dubai International Airport, Bahrain’s high-rises, and Kuwait’s airport has stranded thousands and disrupted global trade.
Current developments show Iran expanding attacks to energy hubs, hitting Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery and Qatari facilities, forcing closures and spiking oil prices. Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of world oil flows. Gulf states, condemning the assaults, have banded together, reserving the right to respond militarily. The US urges Americans to evacuate the region as airspace closures persist.
Analysts warn this could forge a stronger anti-Iran alliance among Gulf nations, Israel, and the US, potentially prolonging the conflict.