Norwegian authorities are investigating an explosion at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo that caused minor damage but no reported injuries, with officials saying they are not ruling out terrorism as a possible motive.
Potential terrorist attack
Police said the blast struck the entrance to the embassy’s consular section around 1 a.m., prompting an immediate response and an ongoing search for those responsible. The incident comes amid heightened global security concerns as tensions escalate in the Middle East.
“We’ve determined that an explosion hit the American embassy,” Oslo police spokesperson Mikael Dellemyr told public broadcaster NRK, adding that the blast occurred at the entry to the compound’s consular section.
Ongoing investigation
By: MEGA
Authorities emphasized that the investigation remains in its early stages. Frode Larsen, head of the joint investigation and intelligence unit, said, “[It is] natural to view this in the context of the current security situation, and that it is a targeted attack against the American embassy. But we have not locked ourselves into just that one hypothesis.”
Asked whether the explosion could be linked to terrorism, Larsen said “one of the hypotheses is that it is terrorism” but reiterated that police were not “entirely locked into that.”
Unrest in the Middle East
The blast occurred as the United States and Israel continue a rapidly escalating bombing campaign against Iran, prompting retaliatory strikes targeting U.S. diplomatic sites in Gulf nations, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Officials said it is not yet known whether the Oslo explosion is connected to those events.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it is aware of the incident and is investigating, while thanking Norwegian authorities for their assistance.
Witnesses
By: Unsplash
Witnesses described a loud explosion and visible smoke near the embassy. Anna Gilbo said she was at home with friends when the blast occurred. “I was watching TV and hear a loud bang while the whole house shook. There was a search going on for a while after the explosion which worried my friends and I, but it feels like the threat is over,” she recalled.
Another witness, 18-year-old Sebastian Toerstad, described “a very thick layer of smoke” as he passed the area. “There was some damage to the entrance,” he told Reuters.
Police confirmed no additional explosive devices have been found, and the search for suspects remains ongoing.
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Joshua Wilburn is a writer at Knewz