A U.S. intelligence facility housed at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was struck on Monday by a drone believed to have originated from Iran, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on Tuesday. The Central Intelligence Agency declined to comment on the incident.
The source said there is no indication that the intelligence station itself was the intended target of the strike.
The event occurred amid a wider pattern of strikes across the Middle East that followed U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran the previous weekend. The embassy in Saudi Arabia has been listed among multiple U.S. sites impacted during the recent escalation.
Saudi Arabia's defense ministry reported that two drones struck the embassy compound, producing a limited fire and causing some material damage. Officials did not elaborate on the extent of damage beyond that description.
Following the incident, the U.S. mission in the kingdom warned American citizens to avoid the embassy until further notice "due to an attack" on the facility. On Tuesday, the mission canceled both routine and emergency U.S. citizen services appointments at the embassy.
"There is a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the U.S. Consulate," the mission said in a security alert.
The combination of a reported strike on an intelligence station within the embassy compound, confirmation from Saudi authorities of two drones hitting the site, and the suspension of consular services underscores the immediate operational impact on U.S. diplomatic activities in the kingdom.
U.S. diplomatic channels have signaled heightened caution for Americans in Saudi Arabia, canceling appointments and issuing targeted security advisories. The official account characterized the damage as limited, but the warnings to avoid the embassy and to stay away from the Dhahran consulate reflect continuing concern about further missile and unmanned aerial vehicle activity in the area.
Details about any casualties, the specific nature of the material damage, and any follow-up security measures have not been provided in the official statements referenced above. The CIA's decision not to comment leaves questions outstanding about the operational impact on the agency's presence at the embassy.
Summary of known facts:
- The CIA station at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was struck on Monday by a drone suspected to be Iranian, according to a source.
- Saudi Arabia's defense ministry reported two drones hit the embassy, causing a limited fire and some material damage.
- The U.S. mission in Saudi Arabia warned Americans to avoid the embassy, canceled consular appointments, and issued an alert regarding imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran.