Drone Strike Hits US Diplomatic Facility in Riyadh; Iran Claims Attack on US Troops in Dubai
Saudi officials confirmed that two drones struck the US embassy compound in Riyadh, causing minor structural damage and a small fire, with no casualties reported. Security measures were immediately heightened across the city, and the US Embassy in Riyadh issued safety alerts advising American citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran to remain indoors and avoid diplomatic facilities.
Flight tracking data showed Cristiano Ronaldo's private jet departing Riyadh shortly after the incident, though it is unconfirmed whether Ronaldo or his family were aboard. The timing has fueled speculation linking the departure to heightened regional tensions, amid Ronaldo's residence in Saudi Arabia while playing for Al-Nassr.
Saudi authorities have not attributed responsibility for the Riyadh strike. The incident follows recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory drone and missile activity against Gulf states hosting US bases.
Separately, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval forces claimed responsibility for a joint drone and rocket attack in Dubai, UAE, targeting over 40 US soldiers who had reportedly fled to a hotel from military bases, killing more than 40 and wounding over 70, according to Sepah News as cited by Tasnim news agency. Some media reported the soldiers were staying at the hotel after evacuating bases. The US has not yet responded to the claim.
Saudi security forces contained the Riyadh fire and secured the area, while investigations continue into both incidents amid broader regional instability marked by increased drone and rocket attacks on diplomatic and strategic sites.
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