Oslo: Norwegian authorities on Wednesday arrested three brothers suspected of executing a "terrorist bombing" at the U.S. Embassy over the weekend, an attack that caused minor structural damage but no casualties.

The suspects, identified as Norwegian citizens of Iraqi descent, were apprehended in Oslo at approximately 3:30 p.m. Police prosecutor Christian Hatlo confirmed that the siblings, all in their 20s, were not previously known to law enforcement.

"We are still working from several hypotheses. One of them is whether this is an order from a government entity," Hatlo said during a press conference. "This is quite natural given the target, the U.S. embassy, and the security situation the world is in today."

Investigation into State and Criminal Links

Investigators believe one brother personally planted the explosive device outside the embassy entrance, while the other two acted as accomplices. The blast occurred around 1:00 a.m. Sunday at the gates of the consular section.

Hatlo stated that the probe is also exploring potential ties to "criminal networks." This line of inquiry aligns with the annual threat assessment released last month by the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST). That report specifically identified Iran as a primary threat, warning that Tehran might utilise "proxy actors," including established criminal syndicates, to conduct sabotage or terror attacks.

Embassy Security Under Pressure

The Oslo bombing comes as American diplomatic missions worldwide have been placed on maximum alert following the Feb. 28 U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran. In the 12 days since that offensive began, Tehran has retaliated by targeting Western industrial and diplomatic facilities across Europe and the Middle East.

Norwegian officials emphasised that while the embassy’s security protocols functioned as intended to prevent loss of life, the incident underscores the widening reach of the regional conflict.

With inputs from AFP