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An attack by two drones early Tuesday on the U.S. embassy in Riyadh sparked a small fire, Saudi defense ministry spokesman said in a statement, while Iran pressed on with its campaign of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.

"The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was attacked by two drones, according to initial assessments. The attack resulted in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building," the statement said after witnesses told AFP they had seen smoke over the building housing the U.S. diplomatic mission.

Moreover, new explosions were heard in Riyadh early on Tuesday, an AFP journalist and residents said, as Iran pressed on with its campaign of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.

The explosions could be heard in the center of the Saudi capital, with one resident saying they "heard a bang and the house shook". Earlier in the morning, Saudi's defense ministry confirmed two drones had struck the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, starting a small fire.

A source close to the Saudi army told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue, that Saudi air defense intercepted four drones targeting Riyadh's diplomatic quarter in the attack. In the aftermath, the U.S. embassy issued a shelter-in-place notification for citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran.

U.S. Embassy in Kuwait closes indefinitely

The U.S. embassy in Kuwait on Tuesday said it was closed until further notice, a day after an AFP correspondent saw smoke rising from the mission following Iranian attacks on the country.

"Due to ongoing regional tensions, the US Embassy in Kuwait will be closed until further notice. We have cancelled all regular and emergency consular appointments," the embassy said in a statement on X.