Hearth at US embassy in Riyadh after drone strike – because it occurred

Saudis affirm US embassy in Riyadh hit by two drones, sparking hearth

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry has confirmed on social media that the US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones, in keeping with preliminary estimates, and brought on a restricted hearth and minor materials harm to the constructing.

A loud blast was heard and flames seen on the embassy early on Tuesday morning, stories mentioned. Black smoke was seen rising over Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, which homes overseas missions.

Reuters quoted two individuals as saying there have been no reported accidents, given the constructing was empty within the early morning hours.

Key occasions

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Jews throughout Israel have gathered in bomb shelters to mark the vacation of Purim as a precaution towards potential Iranian missile assaults.

In Tel Aviv, individuals of all ages sporting sequinned fits, bunny ears, pirate costumes and peacock feathers streamed right into a mall’s underground parking zone, which additionally capabilities as a bomb shelter, the AP stories.

They have been there for the studying from the Guide of Esther adopted by a reside band with dancing.

The celebrations are happening because the Israeli-US conflict with Iran expands throughout the Center East.

Israelis mark Purim within the underground parking zone functioning as a bomb shelter in Tel Aviv on Monday. {Photograph}: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

Israelis on the occasion together with a studying from the biblical Guide of Esther. {Photograph}: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

Australia says Iranian drones hit airbase in UAE

Iranian drones struck an Australian army facility within the United Arab Emirates however there have been no accidents, Australia’s defence minister has mentioned.

Richard Marles mentioned the drones struck the Al Minhad airbase – a logistics hub for Australia’s Center East operations close to Dubai – on the primary night time of the Iran conflict.

“We’ve plenty of Australians who function from a headquarters that we’ve had at Al Minhad now for a lot of, a few years,” Marles informed Australia’s Seven Community tv on Tuesday, cited by the Related Press.

He mentioned:

They’re all accounted for, they’re all protected. We’ve received north of 100 serving personnel truly throughout the Center East in a spread of nations, however most are within the UAE and that base is essential for us.

A number of explosions have been heard close to Al Minhad throughout the conflict, in addition to many aerial interceptions.

Royal Australian Air Power plane on the tarmac at Al Minhad airbase close to Dubai. {Photograph}: Main Seaman Paul Berry/Australian division of defence

Israel orders new evacuations in Lebanon

The Israeli army has issued new evacuation orders for dozens of areas in Lebanon on Tuesday, together with a warning for residents in two southern Beirut neighbourhoods to keep away from a number of buildings forward of imminent army motion, AFP is reporting

“Pressing warning to the residents of Lebanon, particularly within the villages which names are proven. To your security you need to evacuate your properties instantly,” mentioned a press release by the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, on Telegram, which listed 50 areas.

“You’re situated close to Hezbollah services and pursuits, towards which the IDF will function within the close to future,” he informed the residents of southern Beirut neighbourhoods Ghobeiry and Haret Hreik in one other evacuation warning.

Displaced residents from the southern suburbs sit alongside Corniche Al Manara in Beirut, Lebanon, on Monday, after fleeing their properties following Israeli strikes. {Photograph}: Wael Hamzeh/EPA

Tokyo has informed Japanese shipowners to have their ships keep away from the Persian Gulf to make sure the protection of their crew members.

Chief cupboard secretary Minoru Kihara mentioned on Tuesday that the transport ministry had notified the Japanese Shipowners’ Affiliation to do the utmost to guard crews onboard the ships within the area.

Kihara mentioned these already within the Gulf have been urged to lie at anchor the place it was protected to take action, the Related Press stories.

On Monday, Japanese overseas minister Toshimitsu Motegi met with Iran’s ambassador to Japan, Peiman Seadat, and conveyed Japan’s constant stance that Iran should cease assaults on neighboring international locations and different actions destabilising the area.

Motegi additionally famous the significance of guaranteeing security within the Strait of Hormuz, which is essential to Japan’s vitality safety.

Donald Trump has recommended the US will retaliate “quickly” after its embassy within the Saudi capital of Riyadh was hit by two suspected Iranian drones.

He mentioned “you’ll discover out quickly” how the US would reply, with out offering particulars, whereas speaking with the NewsNation community on Monday.

Trump earlier indicated that US strikes on Iran may go for much longer than initially predicted, as his administration sought to counter criticism about conflicting messages on the conflict’s objectives.

In his first public feedback since launching the army operation on Saturday, the US president laid out what he mentioned have been 4 key aims for hitting Iran. Agence France-Presse quoted him as saying:

First, we’re destroying Iran’s missile capabilities … Second, we’re annihilating their navy … Third, we’re guaranteeing that the world’s number-one sponsor of terror can by no means receive a nuclear weapon.

Stopping Iran from arming and directing proxy militant teams was reported as being the fourth purpose.

Israel’s army claims it has “struck and dismantled” the headquarters of Iran’s state radio and tv broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (Irib), reportedly saying it had “referred to as for the destruction of the state of Israel and for using nuclear weapons”.

The Irib was quoted as saying on Telegram there had been explosions close to its headquarters in Tehran however that there was no disruption to its operations.

The US will take motion to mitigate rising vitality costs as a consequence of a spike within the value of oil attributable to the Iran battle, secretary of state Marco Rubio has mentioned.

Chatting with reporters at Capitol Hill, Rubio mentioned treasury secretary Scott Bessent and vitality secretary Chris Wright would announce the plans on Tuesday.

“Beginning tomorrow, you will note us rolling out these phases to attempt to mitigate towards that … We anticipated this might be a problem,” Rubio mentioned.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to satisfy with Bessent and Wright at 2pm (1900 GMT) on Tuesday, in keeping with his itinerary launched by the White Home.

Oil and fuel costs surged on Monday following Israeli and US strikes on Iran and retaliation by Tehran that pressured shutdowns of oil and fuel services throughout the area and disrupted delivery within the essential Strait of Hormuz.

Drivers wait in strains to pump gasoline into their autos at a fuel station within the Marina Del Rey neighborhood of Los Angeles. {Photograph}: Patrick T Fallon/AFP/Getty Photos

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry is being quoted as saying the nation has intercepted and destroyed eight drones close to Riyadh and Al-Kharj.

Earlier the ministry confirmed that the US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones, in keeping with preliminary estimates, and brought on a restricted hearth and minor materials harm to the constructing.

There have been no reported accidents, in keeping with information stories.

Netanyahu: this may not be an ‘limitless conflict’

Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned the Center East battle triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran received’t be “an limitless conflict” however may “take a while”.

The Israeli prime minister was reported as telling Fox Information on Monday that the marketing campaign could be “a fast and decisive motion”, later including: “It could take a while, however it’s not going to take years.”

Oil costs hold rising amid rising fears of provide disruptions

Oil costs have lifted for a 3rd day on Tuesday because the widening Center East battle and threats to shipping by way of the Strait of Hormuz heightened fears of provide disruptions from the important thing producing area.

Brent crude futures have been at $78.83 a barrel, up $1.10, or 1.4%, by 0107 GMT. On Monday, the contract surged to as excessive as $82.37, its highest since January 2025, although it pared these positive aspects to settle 6.7% greater, Reuters stories.

US West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 74 cents, or 1%, to $71.97 a barrel. Within the earlier session, the contract initially climbed to its highest since June 2025 earlier than sliding again to nonetheless settle up 6.3%.

“With no fast de-escalation in sight, the Strait of Hormuz successfully closed and Iran exhibiting a willingness to focus on vitality infrastructure within the area, upside dangers stay and so they develop the longer the battle drags on,” an IG market analyst, Tony Sycamore, mentioned in a observe.

Travellers stranded by the widening conflict within the Center East started departing the United Arab Emirates aboard a small variety of evacuation flights on Monday, as mentioned earlier, whereas governments world wide work to extract their residents from the area.

Airways Etihad Airways and Emirates, primarily based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and funds service FlyDubai mentioned they’d function restricted flights within the wake of the chaos and damage sparked by Iranian missiles and drones after US-Israeli assaults.

A passenger (proper) of the primary constitution flight carrying 127 Italians stranded in Oman or transiting from the UAE to Oman is welcomed after arriving at Fiumicino airport in Rome. {Photograph}: Redazione Telenews/Telenews/EPA

Since Saturday a minimum of 11,000 flights into, out of and inside the Center East have been cancelled, affecting greater than 1 million passengers, in keeping with aviation analytics agency Cirium.

The journey chaos seems set to proceed, with Donald Trump saying on Monday that the battle had been projected to final 4 to 5 weeks however that it may go on longer.

Late on Monday the US state division referred to as on People to right away depart greater than a dozen international locations within the Center East, together with Saudi Arabia and the UAE amid the spiralling battle.

The total story is right here:

Netanyahu says Iran’s nuclear program made it very important to strike now

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned Iran was constructing new nuclear weapon websites that might have been unattainable to assault inside months, creating an pressing have to strike the nation.

“They began constructing new websites, new locations, underground bunkers, that might make their ballistic missile program and their atomic bomb program immune inside months,” Netanyahu told Fox News on Monday.

If no motion was taken now, no motion might be taken sooner or later. After which they might goal America, they might blackmail America, they might threaten us, and threaten everybody in between. So motion needed to be taken.

Iran’s nuclear programme is among the many causes Israel and the US have given for the assaults, alleging Iran was getting too near having the ability to finally make a nuclear bomb.

Nevertheless, what stays of Iran’s atomic services after the two militaries attacked them in June seems to have been largely spared on this marketing campaign up to now.

“We’ve no indication that any of the nuclear installations … have been broken or hit,” the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company chief, Rafael Grossi, mentioned on Monday.

Rubio says US strikes on Iran triggered by Israel’s plan to assault

Chris Stein

Israel’s dedication to assault Iran and the knowledge that US troops could be focused in response pressured the Trump administration to take pre-emptive strikes, secretary of state Marco Rubio has mentioned, in a brand new rationalization for Washington’s shock entry into the battle.

The rationale drew divided opinions from prime members of Congress, who on Monday night obtained the primary briefing by the Trump administration because it ordered the air marketing campaign to start over the weekend.

Rubio, CIA director John Ratcliffe and joint chiefs of employees chair Dan Caine spoke to the lawmakers behind closed doorways within the Capitol forward of a vote anticipated later this week within the Home of Representatives on a conflict powers decision that presents an unlikely alternative to pressure Donald Trump to finish hostilities towards Iran.

Marco Rubio speaks to the press after the labeled briefing on Monday. {Photograph}: Will Oliver/EPA

Rubio informed reporters on the Capitol:

It was abundantly clear that if Iran got here below assault by anybody – the US or Israel or anybody – they have been going to reply, and reply towards the US.

We knew that there was going to be an Israeli motion. We knew that that might precipitate an assault towards American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t pre-emptively go after them earlier than they launched these assaults, we’d undergo greater casualties.

The total story is right here:

Saudis affirm US embassy in Riyadh hit by two drones, sparking hearth

A loud blast was heard and flames seen on the embassy early on Tuesday morning, stories mentioned. Black smoke was seen rising over Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, which homes overseas missions.

Reuters quoted two individuals as saying there have been no reported accidents, given the constructing was empty within the early morning hours.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly claimed Iran’s nuclear program would have been past assault in months.

Extra on this quickly.

Amid the Center East upheaval, holidaymakers on the primary flights out of Abu Dhabi since Saturday have described petrifying experiences.

1000’s of flights have been cancelled throughout the area, leaving tons of of hundreds of passengers stranded.

A small variety of flights have discovered their means out of the United Arab Emirates, together with one which landed at London’s Heathrow airport on Monday night, Isaaq Tomkins stories.

As passengers emerged they described their concern as missiles flew overhead.

“We may hear the explosions. We may generally really feel them … after which [there was] black ash touchdown within the breakfast,” mentioned Pen Harrison, who was on a biking tour in Sri Lanka and had been on a stopover in Abu Dhabi.

Sahib Matharu, a 31-year-old from London who was additionally on a stopover by way of Abu Dhabi, mentioned:

We have been on edge the entire time. It was surreal.

Each passenger on the flight who spoke to the Guardian reported seeing missile interceptions from their lodge.

See the total story right here:

Travellers checking a departure board displaying cancelled flights to Center East international locations at Heathrow airport on Monday. {Photograph}: Isabel Infantes/Reuters

The US embassy in Riyadh has issued a safety alert advising Americans to “shelter in place instantly”.

The embassy’s post on X mentioned:

The US Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting non-essential journey to any army installations within the area – we suggest Americans within the Kingdom to shelter in place instantly.

The US Mission to Saudi Arabia continues to observe the regional scenario.

The alert got here as a Saudi defence ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying an assault by two drones on the embassy had brought on a hearth.

Fox Information is reporting that the embassy was empty on the time of the strike and there have been no accidents.