Escalation in the Middle East
Donald Trump has indicated that retaliation for recent attacks is imminent, following the killing of six U.S. service members and an attack on the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia. The incident occurred when two UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) struck the roof and perimeter of the embassy in Riyadh, according to the U.S. State Department. Additionally, eight drones were intercepted near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj, as reported by the Saudi Defense Ministry.
The attacks come amid heightened tensions in the region, with the U.S. urging all Americans to leave 15 countries across the Middle East ahead of a planned ‘major uptick’ in strikes on Iran. Trump addressed the situation on Monday night, stating, “you’ll find out soon” what the retaliation would be. However, he emphasized that boots on the ground may not be necessary.
“We’re doing a lot of damage. We’re inflicting tremendous damage on them,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. is getting closer to its stated objectives for the strikes, which he described as “ahead of schedule.” He also mentioned that he will know when the objectives are achieved, stating, “It’s getting very close, too. We’re doing a lot of damage, we’re setting them back a lot.”
Trump expressed little concern over potential attacks on American soil or at U.S. bases, stating, “No, it’s a part of war. It’s part of war, whether people like it or not, that’s the way it is.” CNN reported that the embassy was hit by two “suspected Iranian drones,” though no injuries have been reported. The U.S. State Department confirmed that the embassy was sheltering in place and reported no injuries.
The envoy also limited non-essential travel to military installations in the region, as stated in a social media post. The Saudi Defense Ministry described the drone strike as resulting in “limited” fire and minor material damage. The strike occurred just days after the president authorized preemptive strikes against Tehran.
A fire broke out at the embassy in the Saudi capital after a blast, according to two sources who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday. The explosions and smoke came from Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, home to foreign embassies and residences of diplomats, as reported by four witnesses to AFP early Tuesday morning.
“I heard two explosions followed by smoke rising over the quarter,” said a resident who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter. Three people familiar with the matter reported hearing a loud blast and seeing flames at the embassy early Tuesday morning. One source noted that the fire was minor.
The blasts were heard as Iran intensified its campaign targeting Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, with waves of missile and drone attacks in response to U.S. and Israeli air strikes. The Daily Mail has reached out to the State Department for comment.
State Department officials announced on Monday that any Americans currently in the Middle East should evacuate immediately, offering assistance to those struggling to arrange transportation out of the country. This announcement came as a senior official told CNN’s Jim Sciutto that the U.S. is preparing for a “major uptick” in strikes on Iran over the next 24 hours, targeting the country’s missile production, drones, and naval capabilities.
However, Iran has already begun retaliating, killing six American soldiers and striking an American-allied fuel tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards now claim the strait is closed and that they will set fire to any ship attempting to pass through.
A major oil refinery at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, was also shuttered on Monday after being hit by a drone, leading to concerns about potential “record prices at the pumps” for motorists in the UK.
Meanwhile, Qatar shot down two Iranian fighter jets after being attacked by Tehran today and forced to shut off its gas production following a drone strike. The Qatari defense ministry announced that two Su-24 bombers were brought down, while seven missiles and five drones were intercepted during several attacks on the Gulf state.
The U.S. launched preemptive strikes against Iran after learning Israel was about to attack, with American troops in the region facing an imminent threat of retaliation, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio revealed this on Capitol Hill, where he briefed a small group of congressional leaders on the joint U.S.-Israel offensive.
“There absolutely was an imminent threat,” Rubio stated. “And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded.”
Rubio explained that a defensive posture following an Israeli attack would only open the U.S. to more casualties. Five American soldiers have died so far in combat. “We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage,” he said.
The revelation sparked outrage among both Democrats and Republicans.
