Suicide bomber strikes near US consulate in Jeddah

A suicide bomber was killed and two people were wounded in a blast near the consulate of the United States in Saudi Arabia's second city of Jeddah early on Monday, state TV said, the first bombing in years to attempt to target foreigners in the kingdom.

The attacker parked his car outside a hospital opposite the consulate at about 2:15 am and detonated his device after being approached by two security men, killing him and lightly wounding them, it said, quoting a security spokesman.

Three further blasts rocked the location of the bombing hours later, a witness said, as police carried out what appeared to be controlled explosions near the site.