The spokesman for the Saudi army, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, announced on Tuesday morning that the US Embassy headquarters located in the diplomatic quarter of the capital Riyadh was subjected to an aerial attack carried out by drones. Al-Maliki explained that initial estimates indicate the use of two aircraft in the attack, which resulted in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building's structure, with no immediate human casualties recorded.
The diplomatic quarter, which includes the headquarters of foreign missions and diplomatic residences, witnessed strong explosions and rising columns of smoke, causing a state of concern in the area. Field sources reported that firefighting and civil defense teams rushed to the site to control the fire, while security authorities began evacuating the embassy building and its surrounding areas as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of personnel.
Meanwhile, sources close to the Saudi military establishment revealed that air defense systems succeeded in intercepting and destroying four drones that were flying over the diplomatic quarter. This announcement coincided with press reports indicating that additional explosions were heard in the area, suggesting repeated targeting attempts of the security square that includes foreign embassies.
For its part, the US Embassy in Riyadh issued an urgent statement directing recommendations to its citizens residing in the Kingdom to stay in their homes and exercise extreme caution. The recommendations included citizens in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran. International media reports confirmed that the embassy building was empty of staff at the moment of the attack, which was attributed to Iranian sources in the context of escalating military tension in the region.
On the ground, the Saudi army raised its combat readiness to the highest levels since Monday, following a similar attack that targeted the Ras Tanura oil refinery in the Eastern Province. Military sources confirmed that the armed forces are working to secure vital installations and diplomatic centers to confront any potential aerial threats that may target the security and stability of the Kingdom.
These rapid field developments come amid a military aggression launched by Israel and the United States against targets in Iran since last Saturday morning. These operations resulted in hundreds of deaths, including Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and a number of senior security leaders, which prompted Tehran to vow a decisive response targeting American and Israeli interests in the region.
The region is experiencing a state of military turmoil, as Tehran continues to launch barrages of ballistic missiles and drones towards the occupied territories and what it describes as American bases in neighboring countries. These mutual attacks have resulted in casualties and damage to civilian and military installations, amid international fears of the situation escalating into an uncontrollable comprehensive regional war.
The US Embassy in Riyadh was subjected to a drone attack by two drones according to initial estimates, resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building.
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Drone attack targets US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi air defense intercepts 4 aircraft