Iran's Strike on US Embassy Exceeded Saudi Report

Iran's March strike on the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia didn't just scorch a wall—it tore through one of American's most heavily guarded compounds and did far more damage than officials first let on, current and former US officials say. The attack was part of a broader Iranian campaign that has targeted US facilities and assets across the region despite a far higher tempo of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the Wall Street Journal reports. Around 1:30am on March 3, an Iranian-made drone reportedly slipped past Saudi air defenses protecting Riyadh's upscale Diplomatic Quarter and slammed into the US Embassy.

A second drone followed about a minute later, flying into the opening created by the first impact before exploding, according to people briefed on the attack. The blasts ripped through a secure section of the compound, severely damaging three floors, including the CIA station, officials said. Saudi authorities initially described a small fire and minor damage, per Axios. But US officials now say the blaze burned for roughly 12 hours and left parts of the building beyond repair. Additional drones intercepted later that night scattered debris near a preschool, and one was believed to be aiming for the home of the top US diplomat in the kingdom, a short distance from the embassy. Had the strikes occurred during working hours, several hundred people could have been in the affected area.

Later in March, Iranian missiles and drones precisely struck US aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base, damaging an E-3 AWACS radar plane and refueling tankers and injuring about a dozen service members. US embassies or consulates in Baghdad, Dubai, Kuwait City, Riyadh, and Erbil have all been targeted during the conflict, per the Journal, while attacks on bases have killed seven US troops and caused billions of dollars in damage. Former CIA counterterrorism chief Bernard Hudson said the Riyadh strike underscores that Tehran can build and launch its own weapons across long distances and put them into "the embassy of their top opponent," raising questions about how much damage has gone undisclosed and the security of US sites in the Gulf.