Trump warns of retaliation as MBS authorizes military response

3 minutes of readingUpdated: Mar 3, 2026 01:49 pm IST

Iran’s retaliation following joint US-Israeli strikes that began Saturday and killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other senior Iranian officials, have escalated tensions across the Middle East.

Describing the attacks as revenge for Khamenei’s assassination, Tehran launched attacks on Israeli and US military bases in the Gulf countries. Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have continued to face air threats and missile activity.

Saudi Arabia is now directly affected, with reported drone and missile activities targeting its territory, diplomatic facilities and military-related infrastructure.

The US embassy in Riyadh is attacked

In Saudi Arabia, the US embassy in Riyadh caught fire after being attacked by two suspected Iranian drones, the Saudi Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday.

The fire was “limited,” the ministry said, and caused minor damage to the building.

According ReutersA loud explosion was heard before the fire broke out and smoke was seen rising over Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, which houses foreign missions.

US Embassy in Saudi Arabia closes consular appointment

The U.S. Mission in Saudi Arabia closed all routine and emergency American Citizen Services appointments. The shelter-in-place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran remains in effect. “Please avoid the embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility. We continue to limit non-essential travel to any military installations in the region,” the embassy said in its X post.

Security Alert: Consular Appointments Canceled – US Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (March 3, 2026)

The US Mission in Saudi Arabia is closed on Tuesday, March 3. All routine and emergency American Citizen Services appointments are cancelled. Shelter in place…

— United States Embassy in Riyadh (@USAinKSA) March 3, 2026

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The United States and Gulf countries condemn the attacks

The United States on Sunday strongly condemned Iran’s missile and drone attacks in a joint statement issued alongside Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The countries described Iran’s actions as a “dangerous escalation” that endangered civilian lives and reaffirmed their collective right to self-defense.

US President Donald Trump addressed the attack and said: “You will soon find out what the United States’ response will be in attacking the Riyadh embassy and killing six American service members.”

Missiles intercepted in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia also intercepted Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh International Airport and Prince Sultan Air Base on Sunday. AFP reported citing a Gulf source.

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Saudi Arabia summons Iranian ambassador

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it had summoned the Iranian ambassador, a day after the kingdom accused Tehran of carrying out attacks against its territory.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summons the Iranian ambassador to the Kingdom in response to Iran’s brazen attacks targeting the Kingdom and several brotherly countries,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its official X account.

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