US Embassy in Riyadh hit by drones as fire breaks out in diplomatic quarter

The United States Embassy in Riyadh was struck by two drones early Tuesday, causing a limited fire and minor material damage, according to the Saudi Ministry of Defence.

In a statement, the ministry said the attack on the Riyadh diplomatic compound resulted in “minor material damage” and a small fire.

Black smoke was seen rising over the Diplomatic Quarter, which houses foreign missions, Reuters reported.

Three witnesses told Reuters they heard a loud blast and saw flames at the embassy. The Saudi Defence Ministry and one source told the news agency the fire was small in scale.

Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters the building was empty at the time and there were no casualties.

A source close to the Saudi military told AFP that air defences intercepted four drones targeting Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter.

US President Donald Trump told NewsNation the response would be forthcoming. “You’ll find out soon,” he said .

Earlier Tuesday, the US Embassy issued a “shelter in place” notice for Americans in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran.