CIA station in Saudi Arabia struck by suspected Iranian drone

2026-03-04 - 07:53

WASHINGTON: The Central Intelligence Agency’s station at the U.S. Embassy in ​Saudi Arabia was hit by ‌a suspected Iranian drone, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. There is no ​indication the station was the target, ​the source said. The CIA declined to comment. The ⁠attack came amid ongoing strikes in the Middle ​East following Saturday’s U.S. and Israeli attacks on ​Iran. The embassy, which is located in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, is among the U.S. sites that ​have been hit so far in the ​conflict. Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry said the embassy was ‌hit ⁠by two drones, which resulted in a limited fire and some material damage. Washington’s mission in the kingdom subsequently warned Americans to avoid ​the embassy ​until further ⁠notice “due to an attack” on the facility. On Tuesday, it canceled routine ​and emergency U.S. citizen services appointments. “There ​is ⁠a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the ⁠U.S. ​Consulate,” the mission said ​in a security alert. Saudi Arabia intercepted two cruise missiles The Saudi defence ministry said two cruise missiles were intercepted Wednesday over an area south of the capital Riyadh, and state media reported a separate drone attack was thwarted. “Two cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj” district, a defence ministry statement said, while the official Saudi Press Agency cited a ministry spokesman as saying “nine drones were intercepted and destroyed immediately upon entering the Kingdom’s airspace”. The statements did not say who may be behind the attacks.