The United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave its diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia, citing a growing security threat from attacks on civilian infrastructure. The State Department said the departure order applied to Saudi Arabia.
The decision followed a series of Houthi attacks on the kingdom, including strikes affecting airports and energy facilities. In a security notice, the department warned that the hostilities could escalate and cause further travel disruption. The US embassy in Riyadh also issued an alert advising of the possibility of additional attacks.
Reuters, citing four US officials, reported that family members at some other Gulf missions could also be asked to depart. A State Department spokesperson separately said the formal order announced on Wednesday covered non-emergency personnel and families in Saudi Arabia only. The distinction matters: the reported plans for other posts had not been confirmed as the same official departure order.
US diplomatic staffing in the region had already been reduced earlier in the conflict, and some personnel had returned in recent months. The latest move reflects Washington’s assessment of the risk to its staff as attacks and military tensions spread across the region. The department did not announce a timetable for the departures.
