NEW: US Embassy Burns After Major Attack

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was struck by two drones early Tuesday, sparking a limited fire and causing minor damage to the compound in a brazen attack that shows just how fast Iran’s retaliation campaign is spreading across the Middle East.

Saudi officials said there were no immediate reports of injuries, but the strike was serious enough to trigger a shelter-in-place order for Americans in the kingdom and renewed fears that U.S. personnel and diplomatic sites are now firmly in Tehran’s crosshairs.

The attack came as Iran launched a wider wave of counterstrikes following the weekend’s American and Israeli attacks on Iranian targets. What began as a direct response to Operation Epic Fury is now spilling across the region, with missiles and drones targeting U.S. allies and Western-linked sites far beyond Israel.

The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia warned Americans in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran to shelter in place immediately and avoid the embassy until further notice. Officials also said non-essential travel to military installations in the region would be restricted as the security picture continues to deteriorate.

The embassy strike did not happen in isolation.

Iranian missiles were also launched toward Israel, setting off sirens across the country, while the United Arab Emirates reported that its air defenses were intercepting a barrage of ballistic missiles. Bahrain also sounded alarms as the regional fallout widened.

Just hours before the embassy attack, U.S. officials had already issued a sweeping warning urging Americans to leave a long list of Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, Syria, Yemen and Jordan because of what officials called serious safety risks.

***Security Alert: Threat of Imminent Missile / UAV Attacks Over Dhahran***

**There is a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the U.S. Consulate.**

Take cover immediately in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows.…

— U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA) March 3, 2026

That warning now looks less precautionary and more prophetic.

At the same time, the U.S. and Israel were still hammering Iranian and proxy targets. U.S. Central Command said American forces had “destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities,” along with other military targets. The Israel Defense Forces said they were carrying out simultaneous strikes on military targets in Tehran and Beirut after Hezbollah launched missiles from Lebanon toward Israel in recent days.

RELATED: JUST IN: Another Gulf Nation Enters War Against Iran After Direct Missile Strikes

The drone strike on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh is a stark reminder that Iran is no longer just trading blows with Israel. It is now threatening American facilities and allied capitals across the Gulf, opening a dangerous new chapter in the conflict.

For all the talk from the foreign policy class about de-escalation, the reality on the ground is simple: Tehran is striking U.S. interests, American officials are warning citizens to get out and one of the most important U.S. diplomatic compounds in the region has already gone up in flames.

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