Drones hit the US embassy in Riyadh on Tuesday as Iran hit back at industrial and diplomatic targets across the Middle East and Washington warned its citizens to evacuate the entire region.
Four days after US and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader and triggered a regional war, AFP reporters in the Saudi capital saw smoke damage on the walls and roof of the embassy.
Saudi police were swarming over the diplomatic quarter and checking IDs of everyone who entered. Several roads were blocked, including approaches to the US embassy.
Powerful explosions also shook Tehran through the night, as fighter jets flew over the Iranian capital and US President Donald Trump threatened to escalate the conflict.
On Monday, the US State Department had urged “Americans to DEPART NOW” from all of the countries and territories of the Middle East “due to serious safety risks”.
Israel, meanwhile, said it was seizing new forward positions inside southern Lebanon, after Hezbollah fired missiles in support of its backer Iran and provoked a furious Israeli bombardment.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces had been authorised “to advance and take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon in order to prevent attacks on Israeli border communities”.
