CIA station in Saudi Arabia hit in Iranian drone attack

The CIA station in Saudi Arabia was struck by suspected Iranian drone on Monday. (Courtesy: Reuters)

The Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) station at the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh was hit by a suspected Iranian drone on Monday. No CIA personnel were injured in the strike, The Wall Street Journal said quoting people familiar with the matter.

There is no indication the station was the target, the report said.

The attack occurred amid the ongoing military operations across the Middle East following coordinated US-Israeli attacks on Iran. The strikes have prompted waves of retaliatory drone and missile launches throughout the region.

The embassy, located in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, is among the US sites that have been hit so far in the conflict. According to Saudi Arabia's defense ministry, the embassy was hit by two drones, which resulted in a limited fire and some material damage.

Washington's mission in the kingdom issued an alert advising Americans to stay away from the compound until further notice, citing 'an attack' on the premises. On Tuesday, it also suspended both routine as well as emergency US citizen services appointments.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia's state oil giant Aramco shut its Ras Tanura refinery following an Iranian drone strike in response to the US-Israeli attack on Tehran.

The Ras Tanura complex, located on Saudi Arabia's Gulf coast, is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a daily capacity of 550,000 barrels. It also serves as a vital export hub for Saudi crude oil.