New reports claim that not one, but two Iranian drones struck the US embassy in Riyadh in March. Among the areas hit was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) station, a new report contradicting earlier official accounts of the incident claimed.
While Saudi sources initially reported that the drone strike caused "just a fire," it is now being described as a major event that required half a day to extinguish.
The United States originally maintained that the drone strike caused minimal damage after breaching the embassy in the high-security zone of the Saudi capital. However, the new report alleges that the first drone successfully created a hole in the embassy compound, which was then exploited by a second drone to penetrate further and cause maximum damage. In a major security lapse, both drones managed to bypass Saudi Arabia's air defence systems in quick succession to wreak havoc within the Diplomatic Quarter.
Mass-casualty event avoided
According to reports, if the attack had occurred during working hours, it would have resulted in definite casualties, as three floors of the embassy building were severely damaged by the suicide drones. These floors were part of a secure area typically used by several hundred people. The Jerusalem Post, quoting a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, claims that none of the three affected floors are in a recoverable state.
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The strikes hit a secure wing where hundreds of staff members are usually stationed. Officials noted that had the timing been different, it "could have been a mass-casualty event." Additionally, the WSJ report added that one of the drones was believed to be targeting the residence of the highest-ranking US diplomat, located only a few hundred feet from the embassy.
US-Iran war escalation
On Thursday, Donald Trump posted images of billowing dust and smoke as U.S. strikes hit the B1 bridge, which was set to open this year linking Tehran to nearby Karaj. He issued a stern warning of further escalation. "Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!" he wrote.
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On Friday, the conflict spread further as a drone hit a Red Crescent relief warehouse in the Choghadak area of Iran's southern Bushehr province. Kuwait Petroleum Corp also reported that drones hit its Mina al-Ahmadi refinery, while other attacks were reportedly intercepted over Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. Missile debris was also found near the Israeli port of Haifa, home to a major oil refinery.
Oil markets remained closed after benchmark U.S. crude prices jumped 11% on Thursday, following a speech by Trump that offered no clear indication of a ceasefire or an end to the war.
