Iranian drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, early Tuesday, causing a limited fire as Tehran continued a wave of retaliatory strikes across the region, targeting Israel, regional U.S. Bases, and Gulf nations. The attack on the embassy in Riyadh followed a similar incident targeting the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, according to Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry.
The escalating conflict began Saturday with U.S. And Israeli strikes against Iran, reportedly killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks, prompting Israel to intensify its long-running campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli forces have begun operating in southern Lebanon, with Defense Minister Israel Katz instructing troops to “hold and advance” to prevent further Hezbollah fire into northern Israel, marking the first acknowledgment of a ground operation.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching missile salvos targeting military bases in northern Israel overnight. In response, Israel continued airstrikes in southern Lebanon and issued evacuation orders for villages, effectively emptying the area south of the Litani River and turning southern suburbs of Beirut into ghost towns. Israeli airstrikes have killed 52 people and displaced at least 29,000 in Lebanon, according to reports.
The U.S. And Israel continue to strike targets within Iran, claiming to have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities. U.S. President Donald Trump stated Monday that the war could last “far longer” than the initially planned month, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the “hardest hits are yet to approach.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly discussed the possibility of U.S. Troops on the ground in Iran, a move analysts view as problematic given Iran’s terrain.
Rubio offered a justification for the U.S. Intervention, stating that the U.S. Acted preemptively to avoid higher casualties after learning of planned Israeli action. Trump has offered varying objectives for the campaign, ranging from regime change to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a claim Iran consistently denies.
Explosions were reported across Iran, particularly in Tehran, as the U.S.-Israeli campaign continued. Estimates of casualties in Iran range from 555 to 1,500, including 165 deaths in a strike on a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran. Iran has launched ballistic missiles at Israel, with some penetrating Israel’s missile defense system and killing 11 people.
The conflict is impacting global energy markets. Iranian strikes against energy infrastructure in the Gulf have paralyzed operations in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Qatar announced a halt to its largest liquid natural gas production facility, while Saudi Arabia ceased operations at its Ras Tanura oil refinery. Iran has also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies, threatening to bomb ships attempting to cross. Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an advisor to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, stated, “Don’t come to this region.”
In Lebanon, the government took the unprecedented step of banning Hezbollah’s military and security activity and instructed the judiciary to arrest those responsible for firing rockets at Israel, signaling growing domestic pressure on the group. Israel has targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence chief, Hussein Makled, as well as logistical and financial infrastructure, including the Hezbollah-run bank al-Qard al-Hassan and the al-Manar TV station. Rights groups have raised concerns about the legality of targeting non-military entities affiliated with the group.
The U.S. Military acknowledged the deaths of six soldiers, reportedly killed while stationed in Kuwait. The situation remains fluid, with the U.S. State Department urging citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to safety risks, though airspace closures are hindering departures.
