Riyadh: Fresh blasts erupted across the Saudi capital early Tuesday as Iran maintained a series of retaliatory strikes throughout the Gulf region, according to reports from residents and an AFP journalist on the ground.

The explosions, which were audible in central Riyadh, were forceful enough to shake homes. One local resident described hearing a "bang" that caused their residence to tremble. These latest reports follow a confirmation from the Saudi Defense Ministry that two drones struck the U.S. Embassy earlier that morning, sparking a small fire.

In response to the escalating violence, the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia released an emergency directive ordering American citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran to shelter in place. Furthermore, officials have barred non-essential travel to any military facilities located within the region.

“The US Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region – we recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately and avoid the Embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility,” the embassy announced via social media.

Saudi officials stated that the drone strike on the Riyadh diplomatic compound resulted in a "limited fire" and minor structural damage. This assault comes just one day after the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait was targeted in a similar strike on Monday.

While the Defense Ministry confirmed the drone activity, specific details regarding the damage or the exact origin of the aircraft were not immediately released. U.S. personnel continue to monitor the situation and have instructed all citizens to stay away from embassy grounds until further notice.