'Cowardly', 'Violates All Laws': Saudi Arabia Strongly Condemns Iran's Attack on US Embassy in Riyadh, Vows Response

The escalating Israel-Iran conflict, now in its fourth day amid U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets--including the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei--has spilled over into the Gulf, heightening regional tensions.

In a significant development, Iranian drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, early Tuesday, causing a limited fire and minor material damage to the building, according to the Saudi Defense Ministry. No injuries were reported in the attack, which prompted the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia to cancel consular appointments, close the embassy for the day, and issue shelter-in-place advisories for Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued a strong statement condemning the incident. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its rejection and condemnation in the strongest terms of the flagrant Iranian attack that targeted the U.S. Embassy building in Riyadh."

The statement continued, "The Kingdom affirms that the repetition of this cowardly and unjustified attack blatantly violates all international norms and laws, including the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which grant immunity to diplomatic premises and personnel, even in cases of armed conflict."

Saudi officials highlighted that the attack persisted despite prior assurances from the Kingdom.

"The Kingdom emphasizes that the repetition of this flagrant Iranian behavior, which comes despite the Iranian authorities' knowledge that the Kingdom has affirmed it will not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran, will push the region toward further escalation."

The statement concluded with a firm warning: "The Kingdom reaffirms its full right to take all necessary measures to protect its security, territorial integrity, citizens, residents, and vital interests, including the option of responding to the aggression."

This incident marks part of Iran's broader retaliatory campaign against U.S. allies in the Gulf, following American and Israeli military actions against Iran. Similar drone strikes have targeted U.S. facilities in Kuwait and other locations, leading to embassy closures and U.S. travel warnings urging Americans to depart the region immediately.

The attack on the Riyadh embassy underscores the widening scope of the conflict, raising fears of a broader regional war involving Gulf states and further straining already tense West Asian dynamics.

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