Image: from U.S.A.I. X @researchUSAI
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
OSLO, Norway — A powerful explosion rocked the entrance of the United States Embassy in Oslo in the early hours of Sunday morning, shattering glass and prompting a massive security response across the Norwegian capital. While the blast caused “minor material damage” to the consular section, authorities confirmed there were no injuries.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. local time. Residents in the vicinity reported hearing as many as three distinct “bangs” that caused the ground to shake. Witnesses described a thick blanket of smoke enveloping the street in front of the embassy immediately following the blast.
Norwegian police, supported by the Norwegian Security Service (PST), have launched a high-priority investigation. While no suspects have been detained, officials are treating the event as a deliberate attack.
“It’s natural to see this in the context of the current security situation and that this could be an attack deliberately targeting the U.S. embassy,” said police spokesperson Frode Larsen during a Sunday news conference.
The “security situation” referenced by officials includes the ongoing military conflict between the United States and Iran. While U.S. diplomatic missions globally have been placed on high alert due to retaliatory strikes by Tehran, Oslo police commander Michael Dellemyr cautioned that it is “far too early” to definitively link this specific explosion to the Middle East conflict.
Images from the scene showed shattered glass scattered across the snow, cracks in a reinforced glass door, and black scorch marks on the pavement. Throughout the night, investigators deployed drones, helicopters, and K-9 units to search for perpetrators.
Norway’s Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, condemned the blast as “unacceptable,” noting that he has been in close contact with U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Eric Meyer. “The security of diplomatic missions is extremely important to us,” Eide stated.
In a precautionary move, Oslo police announced they are reinforcing security measures for the city’s Iranian diaspora and Jewish communities. The PST maintained the national threat level at three on a five-point scale, where it has remained since November 2024.
As of Sunday afternoon, the area around the embassy has been declared safe for the public, though police are urging anyone with information or who observed unusual activity between midnight and 2:00 a.m. to come forward.