US embassy in Riyadh attacked as Iran steps up Saudi strikes

Christine Burke, Bloomberg News on Mar 2, 2026

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The U.S. embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh came under attack by two drones as Iran accelerates strikes on the kingdom as part of its retaliation against the U.S. and Israel.

The incident resulted in a “limited fire and minor material damage to the building,” according to a statement on X from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense.

That prompted the U.S. to issue a new shelter in place order for Riyadh and Jeddah, while maintaining one for Dhahran in the eastern province. The State Department has also urged American citizens to leave countries across the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.

Soon after the first confirmed incidents on Tuesday morning in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, where the U.S. embassy is based, residents reported hearing loud bangs in the capital, suggesting more activity.

Saudi Arabia risks being pulled deeper into the Middle East conflict that began over the weekend as Iran appears to be escalating the pace of its attacks on the kingdom.

State oil behemoth Saudi Aramco yesterday shut the country’s largest oil refinery after a drone attack in the area. Riyadh also reported intercepting multiple drones heading for a U.S. air base about 60 miles outside the capital.

The attack on the US embassy in Riyadh is the first major incident in Saudi Arabia’s main city of about 8 million people since Iran began striking its Gulf neighbors on Saturday in response to the U.S.-Israeli bombardment.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, which began after he said Tehran refused to renounce nuclear weapons, may last for weeks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the “hardest hits” are yet to come.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic continued to fire projectiles around the Middle East in response to the U.S.-Israeli attack.

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