CIA station in Saudi Arabia struck by suspected Iranian drone
WASHINGTON: The Central Intelligence Agency’s station at the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was hit by a suspected Iranian drone, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
There is no indication the station was the target, the source said. The CIA declined to comment.
The attack came amid ongoing strikes in the Middle East following Saturday’s U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The embassy, which is located in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, is among the U.S. sites that have been hit so far in the conflict. Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry said the embassy was hit by two drones, which resulted in a limited fire and some material damage.
Washington’s mission in the kingdom subsequently warned Americans to avoid the embassy until further notice “due to an attack” on the facility.
On Tuesday, it canceled routine and emergency U.S. citizen services appointments.
“There is a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the U.S. Consulate,” the mission said in a security alert.
Saudi Arabia intercepted two cruise missiles
The Saudi defence ministry said two cruise missiles were intercepted Wednesday over an area south of the capital Riyadh, and state media reported a separate drone attack was thwarted.
“Two cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj” district, a defence ministry statement said, while the official Saudi Press Agency cited a ministry spokesman as saying “nine drones were intercepted and destroyed immediately upon entering the Kingdom’s airspace”. The statements did not say who may be behind the attacks.