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An explosion struck the United States Embassy in Oslo in the early hours of Sunday, damaging part of the building’s entrance but leaving no injuries, according to police in the Norwegian capital.
Authorities say the blast occurred at about 1:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT), triggering an immediate security response as investigators moved quickly to determine the cause.
Oslo police confirmed that the explosion caused only “minor material damage” to one of the embassy’s entrances. However, the incident prompted a large-scale operation involving police units, drones, helicopters, and sniffer dogs as officers searched the area for what they described as “one or more potential perpetrators.”
In a statement, police emphasised the seriousness of the incident, noting that “police view such incidents in public spaces as very serious, and are investigating the case with substantial resources and high priority.” Authorities sealed off parts of the surrounding neighbourhood while specialists examined the site for evidence.
Police commander Michael Dellemyr told Norwegian broadcaster TV2 that investigators were still in the early stages of determining exactly what happened. “We will not comment on anything related to the type of damage, what it is that has exploded and similar details, beyond the fact that there has been an explosion,” he said, stressing that it was “very early in the investigation.”
Later, Dellemyr indicated that officers had begun forming preliminary conclusions about the cause. “It appears to us that this is an act carried out by someone,” he said, suggesting the explosion may have been deliberate.
Witnesses living near the embassy described a dramatic scene shortly after the blast. A 16-year-old resident, Edvard, told TV2 that he and his mother initially thought the sound came from their home.
“My mother and I first thought it came from our house so we looked around a little, but then we saw the flashing lights outside the window and a ton of police,” he said.
He added that the area quickly filled with security forces. “There were police dogs and drones and police with automatic weapons and helicopters in the air.”
Another witness, Kristian Wendelborg Einung, said he and two friends were waiting for a taxi near the embassy when the explosion occurred. “We felt three ‘bangs’ that made the ground shake,” he said. As they left the area, Einung noticed heavy smoke covering the street. “The blanket of smoke was very strange. It was like thick fog.”
Authorities said they were in contact with the embassy following the incident and confirmed several hours later that the surrounding area was safe for residents and passers-by. Police have urged anyone who noticed unusual activity near the embassy between midnight and 2:00 a.m. to come forward with information.
While U.S. diplomatic missions in parts of the Middle East have recently been placed on heightened alert because of American military operations targeting Iran, Norwegian police say it is too early to link the Oslo explosion to those tensions.
