Air raid sirens sounded across Israel overnight and into the early hours of Wednesday as missiles launched from Iran triggered interception systems, while new military strikes and security incidents were reported across the Middle East.
Israeli authorities said explosions from missile interceptions shook buildings in several areas after incoming projectiles were detected. The alerts came as the Israeli military confirmed it had launched a new wave of large-scale strikes against targets inside Iran.
According to the Israeli military, the attacks targeted missile launch facilities, air defense systems, and other infrastructure linked to Iran’s government. The strikes followed multiple waves of missiles fired toward Israel in recent hours.
U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia hit
The Central Intelligence Agency’s station at the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was hit on Monday by a suspected Iranian drone, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. There was no indication the CIA station was the intended target, the source said to Reuters.
@parismatch Deux drones iraniens ont frappé l’ambassade des États-Unis à Riyadh, déclenchant un incendie, sans faire de victimes. #onregardequoi #sinformersurtiktok #iran #news #riyadh ♬ original sound – Paris Match
The embassy, located in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, was struck by two drones, according to Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry. The attack caused a limited fire and some material damage.
Washington’s mission in the kingdom warned Americans to avoid the embassy until further notice “due to an attack” on the facility. On Tuesday, it canceled routine and emergency U.S. citizen services appointments.
“There is a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the U.S. Consulate,” the mission said in a security alert.
Strikes reported in Lebanon
Elsewhere in the region, an Israeli airstrike hit a hotel in a suburb of Beirut, according to Lebanon’s official news agency. In eastern Lebanon, a strike in the city of Baalbek caused a building to collapse, leaving multiple people trapped under the rubble as rescue teams searched for survivors.
Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Casualties and damage reported
In Kuwait, an 11-year-old girl died after being struck by falling debris, the country’s Health Ministry said. Officials have not yet clarified the exact origin of the debris.
Separately, the names of four U.S. reserve soldiers killed earlier in an Iranian drone strike at a tactical operations center in Kuwait were released.
A combination image of undated photos shows U.S. Army Reserve Captain Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida, U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska, U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa, who were killed March 1, 2026, at the Port of Shuaiba, Kuwait during a drone attack. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Maritime incidents reported
Two security incidents involving commercial ships were also reported in waters near the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Maritime security officials said a vessel near Fujairah was struck by unidentified projectiles that damaged its hull, though the crew was not injured.
FILE PHOTO: An aerial view Port of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates in the strait of Hormuz, December 10, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Another ship east of Oman’s capital reported hearing a nearby explosion and seeing smoke, but no damage or casualties were reported.
Evacuations of foreign personnel
The United States has authorized the departure of non-essential government staff and their families from several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Earlier orders had already allowed personnel to leave the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, and Jordan.
A departures board shows a cancelled Kuwait Airways flight, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, at Terminal 7 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City, U.S., March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Bing Guan
U.S. officials also approved the departure of non-essential government employees and their families from Cyprus due to security concerns.
Cyprus on heightened alert
Authorities in Cyprus remain on heightened alert after an Iranian-made drone crashed at a British military base on the island. The United Kingdom has also deployed a naval vessel and anti-drone capable helicopters to help strengthen defenses.
A view of the HMS Dragon at Portsmouth Harbour after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain would deploy the naval vessel, along with helicopters equipped with counter drone capabilities, to the eastern Mediterranean as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, in Portsmouth, Britain March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso
Leadership developments in Iran
Amid the ongoing conflict, Iranian media reported that Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been selected as the country’s new Supreme Leader.
FILE – Mojtaba, son of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, center, attends the annual Quds, or Jerusalem Day rally in Tehran, Iran, on May 31, 2019. Ebrahim Raisi was seen as a prime candidate to succeed the 85-year-old supreme leader. His death on Sunday, May 19, 2024 in a helicopter crash makes it more likely that the job could eventually go to Khamenei’s son. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
Under Iran’s constitution, the selection of a supreme leader is made by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body tasked with appointing the country’s top authority.
Airspace reopening in Israel
Israeli officials said the country plans to gradually reopen its airspace to incoming flights from Wednesday evening through Thursday, prioritizing the safe return of Israeli citizens.
The latest developments come as the conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran enters its fifth day, with military operations and security incidents continuing across multiple parts of the region.
