Reuters: Fire at the US Embassy in Riyadh After an Explosion was Heard

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - According to Reuters flames and thick black smoke pierced the early morning sky over Riyadh on Tuesday, after a powerful explosion was heard at the US Embassy compound in the Saudi capital, according to multiple sources.

Reuters cited three informed sources as saying a strong explosion was heard and flames were seen rising from the US Embassy in Riyadh in the early hours of Tuesday. One source said the fire was limited.

Reuters said it was not immediately able to verify the circumstances of the incident. A spokesperson for the US Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did the Saudi government’s media office.

Two sources said black smoke was seen rising above Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, which houses foreign diplomatic missions.

The incident came shortly after several strong explosions shook the diplomatic district of Riyadh, sending dense smoke into the sky above the area. AFP, citing four eyewitnesses in Riyadh, reported that two powerful explosions were heard, followed by heavy smoke rising over the diplomatic quarter, the main hub for embassies and residences of foreign diplomats. One resident, who declined to be named, said: “We heard two explosions one after the other, then saw a large amount of smoke in the sky above the district.”

The diplomatic quarter is considered one of the most heavily guarded areas of the capital and is tightly secured by security forces.

Two Saudi military sources told Reuters that the kingdom’s air defense systems intercepted several drones in the diplomatic district, with one drone falling near the US Embassy in Riyadh. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the attack on the diplomatic quarter was carried out using drones.

The dangerous escalation comes as Iran has begun attacking Gulf countries in response to the killing of its Supreme Leader in US-Israeli attacks, according to the background provided.

In Kuwait, the Ministry of Defense released updated figures on Iranian attacks targeting the country. On March 3, 2026, the ministry said that since the beginning of the escalation, 178 ballistic missiles and 384 drones had been directed toward the country.

The ministry stated that 27 soldiers and military personnel were injured while carrying out their duties since operations began. It added that most of the wounded are in stable condition, except for two soldiers who remain hospitalized and are receiving intensive medical treatment.

In its statement, Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense reassured citizens and emphasized that the armed forces are at the highest level of readiness and combat preparedness, working with high efficiency to protect the country’s sovereignty and confront any threats to national security.

The developments mark a widening regional confrontation, with diplomatic zones and military targets increasingly drawn into the expanding conflict.