Iran used drones to attack the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital early Tuesday, as the conflict in the Middle East escalated as it entered its fourth day.
U.S. and Israeli forces hit Iran with airstrikes, The Associated Press reported. Iran and its proxies have retaliated against Israel and neighboring countries in the Middle East.
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was struck with two suspected Iranian drones overnight Tuesday, with two more hitting “at or near” the compound, CNN reported. The American embassy in Kuwait was also attacked, according to the cable news outlet.
Both embassies were closed on Tuesday, CNN reported. Kuwait’s facility was shut down “until further notice.”
“The brutal Iranian behavior … will push the region into further escalation,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
‘Do not go outside’
Update 8:25 a.m. ET March 3: A social media post by the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia warned ithat there is a “threat of imminent missile and UAV (drone) attacks over Dhahran, (Saudi Arabia).
“Do not come to the U.S. Consulate,” the post read. “Take cover immediately.
“Take cover immediately in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside,” the post continued. “The U.S. Consulate in Dhahran urges U.S. citizens in Dhahran to shelter in place, review security plans in the event of an attack, and to stay alert in case of additional future attacks.”
Dhahran is located in eastern Saudi Arabia, closer to Iran than Saudi Arabia’s capital city of Riyadh, CNN reported.
***Security Alert: Threat of Imminent Missile / UAV Attacks Over Dhahran***
— U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA) March 3, 2026
**There is a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the U.S. Consulate.**
Take cover immediately in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows.…
Nearly 1,900 flights canceled
Update 7:59 a.m. ET March 3: Nearly 1,900 flights destined for airports across the Middle East were canceled on Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.
Cirium, an aviation analytics company, said 5,450 flights had been scheduled.
Original report: Footage shown by the Saudi-owned satellite news channel Al Arabiya showed fire damage on one part of the roof of the U.S. Embassy, the AP reported.
Israel said it is conducting “simultaneous strikes in Tehran and Beirut,” against Iranian military sites and those of Hezbollah, according to CNN.
Israel also sent more troops into southern Lebanon, while that country’s army was evacuating some of its positions along the border between the two countries, the AP reported.
The State Department ordered mandatory evacuations for non-emergency personnel in several countries, including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, according to CNN.
The U.S. embassy in Muscat, Oman issued a security alert asking embassy staff to shelter in place, citing “ongoing activity,” the cable news outlet reported.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran’s Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant has been damaged by airstrikes, Reuters reported. However, there was “no radiological consequence expected” from it. Natanz was attacked in June by the U.S. during the 12-day Israel-Iran war, according to the AP.
The state-run Iranian Red Crescent reported that Iranian casualties stood at 787 dead early Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Majed Al Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry, said the Iranian attacks not only targeted military facilities but also involved much of the nation’s territory, according to the AP.
“Such attacks will not go unanswered,” he said in a briefing.
France said it planned to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus after a British sovereign base on the island was attacked by drones, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Air France announced that it had canceled its flight routes to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until at least Thursday, Reuters reported.
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