US orders departure of some embassy staff and families from Saudi Arabia amid Houthi threat
The U.S. State Department has ordered non-essential embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to escalating Houthi drone and missile attacks. The move follows a series of strikes targeting critical infrastructure, including airports and oil fields.
Why it matters
This escalation underscores the growing regional instability in the Middle East and the increasing threat posed by Houthi rebels to international diplomatic personnel and energy infrastructure.
The US State Department ordered the departure of non-essential staff and family members at its embassy in Riyadh, a move that comes amid intensifying strikes on Saudi Arabia by the Iran allied Houthi rebels in Yemen. “The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott wrote on X. “Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.” While the State Department is drawing down its footprint in Saudi Arabia amid escalating risks, a few other US diplomatic posts in the region are also adjusting their staffing in response to the Houthi threat, a source told CNN. “This is about the Houthis,” said a State Department official.
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