Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said early Tuesday that eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near Riyadh and Al-Kharj. In an earlier statement, the ministry’s spokesperson said preliminary assessments indicated that two drones had targeted the US Embassy in Riyadh.
The incident caused a limited fire and minor material damage to the building.
Reports from early Tuesday morning described a loud blast and visible flames at the American embassy, with black smoke rising over Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, where many foreign missions are located. According to Reuters, two sources said there were no reported injuries, as the building was empty at the time of the incident in the early morning hours.
In a post published on X, the US Embassy to the Kingdom announced a security alert for Tuesday. The embassy stated it would remain closed and that all routine and emergency American Citizen Services appointments had been cancelled.
The shelter-in-place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran remains active, and American citizens in the Kingdom were advised to continue to abide by it.
The embassy also urged people to avoid its premises until further notice due to the attack on the facility. Travelers were encouraged to review the most recent Security Alerts, reconsider travel plans in case of possible disruptions, and make decisions that prioritize their safety and that of their families.