An explosion struck the United States embassy in Oslo early Sunday, causing minor damage to the diplomatic compound but leaving no one injured, Norwegian police said.
The blast occurred around 1:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) near the entrance to the embassy’s consular section, according to authorities. Emergency services responded after residents in the area reported hearing a loud explosion.
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“At around 1:00 am we received several reports of an explosion. We arrived shortly afterwards and confirmed that there had been an explosion that hit the US embassy,” police incident commander Mikael Dellemyr told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. Police have launched an investigation and deployed bomb disposal teams to examine the scene.
Authorities say explosion likely caused deliberately
Norwegian police have not disclosed details about the device or the exact cause of the blast. However, officials indicated that investigators believe the incident was not accidental. "We are not going to comment on anything related to the type of damage, what it is that has exploded and similar details,” Dellemyr said, citing the early stage of the investigation.
In a separate statement to broadcaster TV2, he said police have a preliminary idea of what may have caused the explosion and that it appeared to be “an act carried out by someone.” A bomb squad searched the area following the incident, but authorities said no additional explosive devices were found nearby.
Heavy police presence reported near embassy
Residents in the neighbourhood described a large security response following the blast.
A teenager identified by local media as Edvard told TV2 that he heard the explosion while at home and initially believed it had come from his own building. "We saw flashing lights outside the window and a lot of police," he said. Witnesses reported seeing police dogs, drones, armed officers and helicopters in the area as authorities sealed off streets around the embassy compound.
Police established a security perimeter and temporarily restricted traffic near the site.
Damage limited as investigation continues
Despite the scale of the response, officials said the physical damage to the embassy complex was relatively minor. "There is minor damage," Dellemyr said, adding that police remain in contact with embassy officials as the investigation continues.
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The US embassy in Oslo and the US State Department had not issued immediate statements on the incident outside regular business hours. Authorities also said it is too early to determine whether the explosion is linked to wider geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing confrontation involving the United States and Iran.
"We’re not connecting it to the conflict. It’s far too early for that," Dellemyr told TV2. Oslo is generally regarded as one of Europe’s safest capitals and rarely sees attacks targeting diplomatic missions.
