Iran struck the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital early Tuesday with two drones, marking a sharp escalation in a widening regional confrontation as the United States and Israel intensified their air campaign against Iranian targets. The strike on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Riyadh caused a “limited fire” and minor material damage, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry, while the embassy urged American citizens to avoid the area as a precaution.
The attack comes amid sustained Iranian operations across the region and continued U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory. U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the military campaign against Iran could extend for more than a month, suggesting that the current phase may represent only the beginning of a prolonged and intensive operation.
In the wake of the Riyadh incident, the United States Department of State ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family members from several countries across the Middle East, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait announced it would remain closed until further notice after also coming under attack, underscoring the growing risks facing American diplomatic missions in the region.
The developments point to a rapidly expanding conflict that has already claimed hundreds of lives, the vast majority reported in Iran. In Tehran, explosions were heard throughout the night into Tuesday, with aircraft flying overhead, although the precise targets of the strikes were not immediately clear.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility had sustained “some recent damage,” though it stressed that no radiological consequences were expected. The Natanz site had previously been targeted during the 12-day Iran-Israel war in June, when U.S. strikes also hit the facility.
The latest exchanges signal a dangerous deepening of hostilities across multiple fronts, raising concerns over the stability of diplomatic missions, energy infrastructure and broader regional security as both sides continue to trade strikes.
