Iranian Drone Hits CIA Station at U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia

On March 2, two Iranian drones struck the U.S. embassy compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, “collapsing” part of the roof of the CIA station and “contaminating” the structure with smoke. An internal State Department memo obtained by the Washington Post stated that the facility sustained “structural damage,” but that personnel “continue to shelter in place.” The extent of damage or the condition of the personnel have not been made public. Both the U.S. and Saudi governments had confirmed earlier that two drones hit the complex, but made no mention of any damage to the CIA center. Experts say that the damage is merely a setback, since there is so much redundancy in these intelligence systems. However, many Iranians may see this as a symbolic victory over the CIA, which is often viewed as a key player in the 1953 overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected Mohammad Mosaddegh government.