As the conflict in the Middle East continues to expand and escalate, two drones struck the United States Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday morning.
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the attack caused a limited fire and some material damage. No injuries have been reported so far.
The drone strike came as Iran escalated its retaliation following joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel on its territory, targeting neighboring Gulf countries that host US military bases.
🚨 Drone attack cause fire at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 3, 2026
2 drones struck the US embassy in Riyadh, resulting in "a limited fire," MoD stated.
US issued security alert for citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran, ordering them to shelter in place immediately. pic.twitter.com/MNtWFPuyDk
Citing unnamed sources, Reuters reported that a loud explosion was heard and flames were seen at the US Embassy in Riyadh early Tuesday. The report added that black smoke was rising over Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, which houses several foreign missions.
As regional tensions intensified, the United States issued an urgent advisory urging its citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to what it described as “serious safety risks.”
“To all American citizens in the Middle East: your safety and security is our number one priority. Sign up to receive STEP alerts at http://step.state.gov. Get information at @TravelGov and you can call the department 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a post on X.
In a separate statement, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said: “The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada). ENROLL in http://step.state.gov to get the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.”
The advisory applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
On February 28, US and Israeli forces launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple Iranian cities after negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program collapsed. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military and security officials, was killed in the strikes, triggering a strong response from the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Tehran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel and targeted neighboring countries hosting US military bases, raising concerns of a potential regional war.
