US Orders Embassy Staff Out of Saudi Arabia Over Houthi Attacks

The US State Department has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia. The order covers both US government staff in the kingdom and the families living with them.

Reuters reported that the United States is also preparing to evacuate some of its personnel from embassies elsewhere in the Gulf.

A State Department spokesperson explained the Saudi decision in a statement carried by i24NEWS:

"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. As the Department has repeatedly emphasized, the hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly, including beyond that immediate area."

The spokesperson added that the department would continue supporting the departing employees and their families on their way back to the US.

As reported last week, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran on the night of October 13. The Saudi energy ministry said that strike caused a limited fire and no casualties. The group pledged further strikes on Saudi airports and oil sites. Before the attack, the Houthis had issued evacuation warnings for Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and for King Khalid International Airport.

At that point, the State Department raised its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia to Level 3, "Reconsider Travel," and placed the areas bordering Yemen at Level 4, "Do Not Travel." Etihad Airways said at the time that it would cancel flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah until October 19.