Fact Check: Is image showing US Embassy in Saudi on fire after Iran’s attack real?
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: As the US and Iran continue to exchange missiles and drones, escalating the tensions in the Middle East, an image has been circulating on social media platforms claiming to show the United States Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after being attacked by an Iranian drone. Let us analyse the video and fact-check the claim.
Claim: US Embassy in Riyadh engulfed in fire after drone attack
The viral image, which surfaced on Facebook on March 3, shows a compound engulfed by flames and smoke, as firefighters attempt to put out the blaze.
The post came with a caption in the Thai language that reads, “The US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was attacked by Iranian drones." The image was also shared on X, including in English, Chinese, and Hindi.
The image went viral after a spokesperson for the Saudi Defense Ministry announced an attack on the US embassy in Riyadh early on March 3, causing minor fire.
Fact Check: The image is AI-generated
Although the claim of the embassy coming under attack was true, the media that purportedly shows the compound engulfed in flames after an Iranian drone strike is AI-generated, as a detection tool flagged the image as having been made with Google's AI tools.
An analysis using Google's SynthID detector found a 'very high' level of confidence that the image was created using the company's AI tools.
An AFP photo of the embassy taken after it was hit by a drone strike shows superficial damage to the compound, contrary to the circulating image suggesting the entire facility was engulfed in flames.
Google Maps satellite images show that the layout of the US embassy compound is different from what appears in the misleading image.
United States shuts down embassies in Gulf
The United States has closed its embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait after drone strikes and escalating regional tensions following the joint US-Israeli bombardment of Iran.
The closures ordered on Monday, March 2, come amid retaliatory attacks by Tehran targeting American assets and regional allies.
The embassy in Riyadh issued a shelter-in-place order after Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry confirmed the diplomatic compound was struck by drones.
The US Embassy in Kuwait also announced it would shut down operations “until further notice,” citing ongoing security concerns.
Iran has reportedly launched a barrage of strikes aimed at Gulf states that host US military bases. While many of the projectiles have been intercepted, the continued exchanges have heightened fears of broader regional conflict.
