The US Embassy and consulates in Saudi Arabia will close today and tomorrow because of a threat against US government buildings, the embassy has said.

The US State Department has extended a warning to Americans against unnecessary travel to Saudi Arabia because of a continuing threat of terrorist action against US citizens and interests.

Islamic militants threw explosives at the gate of the heavily-guarded US consulate in Jeddah in a bold assault, then forced their way into the building, prompting a gun battle that left seven people dead and several injured before the three-hour long crisis was brought under control.

A car bomb exploded outside the heavily-guarded US consulate in the Saudi port city of Jeddah today, injuring several people. Hostages were understood to be held inside as a gunbattle raged in the latest strike against Western targets in the kingdom.

The United States upgraded its security warning for Saudi Arabia today, restricting its diplomatic staff to the diplomatic quarters of their cities for all but essential duties.

The United States reopened its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia today, a week after they closed because of terrorist threats.

The US is closing its embassy in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh tomorrow because of terror threats.

The British and German embassies in Saudi Arabia reopened today following temporary closures due to security concerns in the days after terrorists struck Western targets in the country’s capital.

THE United States, Britain, and Germany have closed their diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia after Washington warned that more terror attacks in the oil rich kingdom were “imminent.”

US diplomats, warning that more attacks in Saudi Arabia were “imminent,” closed their embassy and consulates in the oil rich kingdom today.

Saudi and US officials say Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida group may launch fresh terror attacks in the United States or against American interests overseas.

A man standing with a gun outside the US Consulate in the Saudi Arabian city of Dhahran was arrested today.

At least one person was killed and 60 injured in a series of bomb blasts in Saudi capital Riyadh, including a car packed with explosives that rammed into a residential compound housing westerners, hospital and security officials said today.

A remote control bomb went off yesterday outside a shop in the eastern Saudi city of Khobar, police said. Saudi television and the Khobar hospital said two people were killed and five injured.