A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) station located inside the US embassy in Saudi Arabia was hit by an Iranian drone, in a new episode of regional escalation that increases tension in the Middle East, as confirmed by a source familiar with the matter.
According to Saudi authorities, two drones hit the diplomatic compound in the capital, Riyadh, causing limited fire and material damage. No casualties were reported, and so far there is no indication that the intelligence station was the specific target of the attack. The CIA declined to comment on the incident
.
The attack came amid a wave of attacks following strategic bombings launched over the weekend by theUnited Statesand Israel against military targets in Iran. Since then, the region has experienced a significant increase in missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) threats, raising the alert level at U.S. diplomatic and military installations
.
Following the impact, the U.S. mission in the kingdom issued an urgent security warning urging U.S. citizens to avoid the embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility. In addition, the consulate in Dhahran warned of an imminent threat of missile and drone attacks in the area, and canceled all routine and emergency appointments
for consular services.
The Saudi Defense Ministry confirmed that the drones were partially intercepted, although not before causing damage to the diplomatic compound. Local authorities immediately reinforced security measures around strategic facilities, while investigations are under way to determine the exact origin of the aerial devices
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U.S. officials have not yet publicly attributed responsibility for the attack, but a source indicated that Iranian involvement is suspected, in line with previous incidents in the region. In recent years, Iran and allied groups have been singled out for the use of drones and missiles in indirect operations against targets in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and other areas of the Gulf
. The State Department, led by Marco Rubio, had already issued an alert urging U.S. citizens not to travel around the premises of the diplomatic mission and to leave the country.
The impact against a diplomatic mission represents a serious violation of international standards that protect foreign facilities and their personnel. Security experts warn that such actions increase the risk of a wider escalation and reduce margins for diplomatic containment
.
Saudi Arabia, Washington's strategic partner, has been a frequent target of drone attacks in the past, including incidents against energy infrastructure. The presence of U.S. facilities in the country makes these sites potential targets in a context of regional confrontation
