00:24A dramatic video circulating online
00:28claims to show an Iranian drone strike hitting the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh.
00:34The footage shows massive flames and thick smoke rising from a roadway,
00:40with social media posts claiming Iran attacked the embassy in Saudi Arabia.
00:46But is that really what the video shows?
00:49Here's the fact check.
00:51According to investigations by organizations like Reuters,
00:55the viral video is misleading.
00:58The footage actually dates back to February 6, 2026,
01:03nearly a month before the current escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran.
01:10The clip shows a vehicle fire on a major highway in Riyadh's Nassim Asharki district,
01:17far from the diplomatic area.
01:19In fact, the location is about 18 miles, or nearly 29 kilometers, away from the United States Embassy, Riyadh,
01:29which is located in the city's diplomatic quarter, Riyadh.
01:33So the viral video of a blazing roadway has no connection to the embassy compound.
01:39However, there was a real incident.
01:43On March 3, 2026, drones struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Riyadh during Iran's wider retaliation campaign across the
01:53Gulf region.
01:54Saudi authorities confirmed that two drones hit the compound, causing limited fire damage but no reported injuries.
02:03The incident triggered security alerts and temporary precautions for U.S. diplomatic staff in cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, and the
02:13Haran.
02:14Multiple global outlets, including Al Jazeera and the New York Times, reported the drone strike, noting that the impact was
02:23far more limited than the dramatic highway fire seen in the viral clip.
02:28The embassy incident came amid a wider regional escalation following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that reportedly killed
02:38key Iranian leaders, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
02:44Iran's retaliation targeted several U.S. or allied facilities across the Gulf region, including sites in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United
02:55Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.
02:57But the viral video circulating online does not show that embassy attack.
03:03Fact-checkers say it's simply old footage of a roadway fire being reused and miscaptioned during a fast-moving geopolitical
03:13crisis.
03:14For accurate updates, officials advise relying on verified statements from governments and credible international news organizations.
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