Firefighters arrived at 1pm and extinguished the fire, the authorities said.

A statement from the Israeli embassy said: "A man set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

"The man is unknown. No embassy staff were injured and are safe."

The US Air Force later confirmed the man was an airman on active duty.

Police explosives experts were also called to the scene "in reference to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the individual", they said in a statement.

The vehicle was later cleared with no hazardous materials found, the force added.