An explosion struck the entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway, early Sunday, causing minor damage but no reported injuries, Norwegian police said as authorities launched an investigation into what officials believe may have been a deliberate act.
A spokesman for the country’s police force said during a news conference that the attack on the U.S. Embassy could be related to the “current security situation,” signaling investigators have not ruled out a link to the war in Iran.
“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,” police spokesman Frode Larsen said.
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Police said they received multiple reports of a loud blast around 1 a.m. local time near the embassy compound in western Oslo. Officers arrived shortly afterward and confirmed the explosion had occurred near the entrance of the embassy’s consular section.
Larsen said investigators believe the explosion may have been caused by a device placed near the entrance, though officials said it remains early in the investigation.
Speaking to a local broadcast station, Larsen said terrorism is “one of the hypotheses” but that investigators are “not completely stuck on that.”
Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen condemned the incident, calling it “an unacceptable incident that we are taking very seriously,” and said investigators had deployed “considerable resources” to determine what happened.
Police later said no additional explosive devices were found, and the area around the embassy was deemed safe for residents and passersby.
The explosion comes amid heightened global tensions and increased security concerns surrounding American diplomatic hubs as Iran continues hurling retaliatory attacks in the Middle East.
Norwegian authorities have said it was too early to determine whether the incident was connected to the U.S.’s role in the Middle East.
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Investigators said the inquiry remains ongoing as police analyze evidence from the scene and review security footage from the area.
The U.S. Embassy referred questions to the State Department, which has not issued a public statement following the blast.
