– The Washington Times
The U.S. closed its embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Tuesday and ordered nonessential personnel to evacuate across the region following missile and drone strikes from Iran overnight.
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was closed Tuesday after attacks from two drones that started a small fire and caused minor damage to the building, the Saudi Defense Ministry said.
After the initial attack on the embassy, Saudi forces intercepted eight drones near Riyadh, the nation’s capital, and Al-Kharj.
Saudi defense officials did not initially blame Iran for the attacks, though Tehran had spent the previous 48 hours launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Persian Gulf states housing U.S. air bases.
In addition to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have come under fire from Iranian drones and ballistic missiles. Most of the strikes have been intercepted by Gulf or U.S. forces, though minor damage from drones and missile debris has been reported.
An Iranian drone hit the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait on Monday, according to reports. The attack prompted a swift response from Kuwait, which said the attack was a “blatant violation of all international norms and laws” and reaffirmed its right “to safeguard its security, protect its territory, and ensure the safety of its citizens and residents.”
The embassy said it would close until further notice on Tuesday, citing increased “regional tensions.”
The U.S. Embassy in Amman, the capital of Jordan, evacuated its staff on Monday ahead of an apparent attack. However, it’s unclear if the embassy came under fire or if the evacuation was a precautionary measure.
In response to the attacks on diplomatic missions in the Gulf, the State Department ordered nonessential workers and their families to evacuate six Middle East nations: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition to Iranian airstrikes, U.S. diplomatic missions in the region have come under attack from supporters of the Islamic republic. On Sunday, a massive crowd of protesters, furious over the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, stormed the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. At least 10 people were killed after police repelled protesters.
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, said it would cancel all visa appointments this week in its main building, along with consulates in Lahore and Karachi.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
