U.S. Embassy in Riyadh hit by drones, Saudi officials say

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was targeted by a drone attack, causing a small fire and minimal damage. The Saudi Defense Ministry confirmed the incident. Following the attack, the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia issued a "shelter in place" alert for Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran. Non-essential travel to military sites in the region was restricted by the mission. The U.S. State Department advised American citizens in Saudi Arabia to shelter immediately. Hours before the embassy attack, the State Department urged Americans to leave several Middle Eastern countries due to safety risks. This included nations like Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE, amongst others. The incident is considered part of a larger pattern of attacks. These attacks are seen as counterattacks following airstrikes by American and Israeli forces on Iran over the weekend. This is a developing situation. The situation highlights escalating tensions in the region.