The US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was attacked by two Iranian drones on Tuesday morning, causing limited fire and minor damage. No casualties occurred as the building was empty at the time. This attack is part of Iran's retaliation against US and Israeli military actions.
On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry confirmed that the US Embassy in Riyadh was targeted by two drones, based on initial assessments. The attack triggered a small fire and minor material damage to the embassy building. Reuters reported two new explosions in the diplomatic area after the Saudi government's confirmation, while four eyewitnesses heard loud blasts and saw thick smoke billowing.
A local resident said, "I heard two explosions followed by smoke billowing over the area." Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed at least eight drones heading toward Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj, according to the ministry. A source close to the Saudi military stated that four drones targeting the diplomatic area were intercepted.
The embassy building was empty during the early morning attack, so there were no reports of injuries. The US Embassy promptly issued a shelter-in-place notice for Americans in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran, and restricted travel to military installations. US President Donald Trump expressed anger; journalist Kellie Meyer quoted him saying, "You will soon find out" about the US response, and that he "does not think a ground attack will be necessary."
This incident occurs amid escalating tensions, following joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran last Saturday, including in Tehran, which killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks on Israel and US assets in Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia.
