New Delhi (India) Match 3:The US Embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones from Iran which led to a fire and some damage to the property. This incident occurred when the Middle East was still very tense on the fourth day of the tensions started by US and Israeli led strikes on Iran and Tehran's counter-strikes on US and Israeli bases.
Saudi MoD Confirms Minor Damage, No Casualties Reported
The attack on the US Embassy early Tuesday resulted in "minor material damage" to the compound, according to a statement by the Saudi Ministry of Defence. Subsequent reports indicated that more drones were attacking the site as Iran carried out a series of retaliatory strikes in the Gulf region for the US and Israeli raids.
So far, Saudi security forces have not revealed whether the drones were shot down or how the drones managed to get through the air defence system over the capital city. The Saudi government media office did not immediately respond to inquiries.
US Embassy Issues Shelter Alert for Riyadh, Jeddah
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia sent out a shelter in place advisory to its citizens in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran because of the attacks.
“Avoid the Embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility. We continue to limit non-essential travel to any military installations in the region”, the embassy said.
Trump Vows Swift Revenge Without Naming Iran
Without explicitly referring to Iran, Trump gave a stern warning that revenge was inevitable. In a NewsNation interview quoted by a reporter on X, Trump stated, "You'll find out pretty soon what the retaliation will be, " indicating both the Embassy attack and the killing of US military personnel in the confrontation with Iran.
Airport Chaos: Flights Delayed as Gulf Airspace Shuts
Moreover, Saudi Arabia intercepted missiles launched by Iran that were aimed at Riyadh's international airport and the Prince Sultan Airbase on Sunday.
Though the drone attack on the US Embassy occurred while Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport was still functioning normally and open for flights, the airport itself remained unaffected. Nevertheless, hundreds of flights have been either delayed or cancelled due to the closure of airspaces in the neighbouring Gulf countries which is a repercussion of the US, Israeli strikes on Iran and the Iranian retaliatory attacks.
Gulf airports and airlines have decided to suspend normal operations until at least 3 pm IST on Tuesday. Nevertheless, a few special flights have been operating from the UAE since Monday evening.