Smoke billowing from the US consulate in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah 06 December 2004, Gunmen stormed the US consulate in Jeddah today, killing four guardsmen and seizing local staff in a hail of gunfire in the latest attack against foreigners in the oil-rich kingdom. STR | AFP | Getty Images

A suicide bomber was killed and two other people wounded in a blast outside the U.S. consulate 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 near the consulate at about 2.15 a.m. and shortly afterwards his device detonated, killing him and lightly wounding two security men nearby, it said, quoting a security spokesman.

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

A video sent by the witness showed police taking cover behind vehicles and covering their ears before an explosion sounded. Reuters could not immediately reach officials to give more details. A photograph on the Sabq news website showed what appeared to be the remains of a man lying next to a taxi.

