Iran Strikes US Embassy in Saudi Arabia as Middle East War Escalates
Iran has expanded its retaliation in the ongoing regional conflict by targeting the United States embassy in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant escalation in the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
According to Saudi authorities, two drones struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Riyadh, causing a limited fire and minor damage to the facility. No casualties were immediately reported.
The attack comes as the United States and Israel intensify airstrikes across Iran, with explosions reported overnight in the Iranian capital Tehran.
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the military campaign could continue for several weeks, suggesting the war may last four to five weeks but warning that Washington is prepared for a longer conflict if necessary.
The conflict began on 28 February after joint U.S.–Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure.
Regional conflict widens
The war has spread rapidly across the Middle East, with fighting now affecting multiple countries.
Israel has expanded its military operations in Lebanon, deploying additional ground troops and launching airstrikes in the capital Beirut against what it described as positions linked to the militant group Hezbollah.
Missile attacks from Iran and its allies have struck several locations in Israel, while retaliatory Israeli strikes in Lebanon have reportedly killed dozens of people.
Meanwhile, Iranian attacks have targeted energy infrastructure and military installations across Gulf countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Oil supply and shipping disrupted
The conflict has also shaken global energy markets. Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
Iranian Revolutionary Guard adviser Ebrahim Jabbari warned that ships attempting to pass through the narrow waterway could be attacked.
In response, several Gulf nations have warned that Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure would not go unanswered.
Oil and natural gas prices have surged amid fears that prolonged disruption to the region’s energy supply could trigger global market shocks.
Casualties rise as war continues
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 787 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict began. Iranian missile strikes have killed at least 11 people in Israel.
The United States has confirmed the deaths of six American service members during the conflict, while additional casualties have been reported in Gulf countries including Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
The United States has also ordered the evacuation of non-essential embassy staff and families from several Middle Eastern countries due to increasing security risks.
Nuclear sites targeted
Some of the heaviest strikes have focused on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility sustained damage in recent attacks, although officials said no radiological consequences were expected.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the strikes, claiming Iran was rebuilding underground nuclear facilities capable of producing atomic weapons.
Iran, however, insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and says it has not enriched uranium since mid-2025.
Uncertain end to the conflict
With missile attacks, drone strikes and air raids continuing across the region, analysts warn that the war could last for weeks or longer.
Trump said the United States has a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions and suggested that the conflict could continue as long as necessary.
The rapidly escalating war has already disrupted global shipping routes, energy supplies and air travel across the Middle East, raising fears of a wider international crisis.