A van smashed through a security barricade near the White House early Wednesday, police said, forcing a shutdown of the area in downtown Washington during morning rush hour.

The driver was taken into custody and there were no reported injuries following the pre-dawn incident at Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.

The Secret Service, which handles presidential security, said in a statement it was "looking into a suspicious vehicle. The driver of the car has been detained and is being questioned."

Washington has been under heightened security amid the US-Israel war on Iran.