Saudi ministry says two drones struck U.S. embassy in Riyadh, causing limited fire

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said two drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh early Tuesday morning, sparking a limited fire and causing what officials described as minor material damage to the compound. No injuries were reported and embassy staff were not present at the time, the ministry added.

The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia ordered American citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran to shelter in place and limited nonessential travel to military installations while it monitors the situation. The mission posted: “The US Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region – we recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately. The US Mission to Saudi Arabia continues to monitor the regional situation.”

Residents and witnesses in the capital’s diplomatic quarter reported loud explosions and plumes of smoke. “I heard two explosions followed by smoke rising over the quarter,” one resident said. Video circulated on social media showed a blast and flames at the embassy compound, and officials described the resulting fire as limited or minor.

Accounts differ on the number of unmanned aerial vehicles involved. Saudi authorities specifically reported two drones struck the U.S. Embassy, while other officials said that air defenses had engaged multiple inbound drones targeting the diplomatic quarter. The discrepancy in counts has not been reconciled by public statements from Saudi defense authorities or U.S. officials.

Two U.S. officials told reporters that preliminary assessments pointed to Iranian-made drones, though no government has issued a public, verifiable attribution and no armed group has claimed responsibility. The strikes come amid a wave of cross-border attacks and retaliations across the region following recent military actions involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has recently said he regards American bases as “legitimate targets,” comments that regional diplomats say have heightened alarm among Gulf security partners.

The immediate operational impact included a shelter-in-place alert for three major Saudi cities and restrictions on nonessential travel to U.S. military sites in the region. Officials said the embassy compound was relatively empty given the overnight hours; “no one is believed to have been injured,” U.S. officials added, while warning that a threat could remain.

Beyond the diplomatic and military implications, the strike underscores public health and community concerns in a city where foreign missions and residential neighborhoods sit close together. Local emergency responders were dispatched to the diplomatic quarter to extinguish the blaze; even small fires in dense urban districts can strain ambulance and emergency services and disrupt hospital operations. In a tense security environment, shelter-in-place orders also impede access to routine medical care and chronic condition management for vulnerable populations, including migrant workers and low-income residents who already face barriers to healthcare access.

Health officials and humanitarian groups say repeated alerts and local evacuations raise risks for those with mobility limitations, mental health needs and unstable housing. If strikes continue to hit urban and energy infrastructure, disruptions to supply chains and medical logistics could affect the availability of medicines and emergency supplies across the Eastern Province and beyond.

Saudi and U.S. authorities have said they are investigating the incident and reviewing air-defense reports, damage assessments and video evidence. As officials seek to clarify the number of drones involved and any state or nonstate responsibility, residents and foreign nationals in Riyadh remain under heightened security restrictions and advisories.