US orders non-emergency staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia, citing Houthi attacks

The US State Department has ordered non-emergency US government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced the ordered departure in a social media post on Wednesday.

Pigott attributed the decision to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure. Al Jazeera quoted his post: "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."

The US Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert on Wednesday about possible further Houthi attacks. The Guardian, citing the State Department, reported that the order covers the embassy and its satellite consulates. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include the number of people affected.

On Wednesday, attacks killed at least one person and injured eight at King Fahad international airport in Dammam. Two people were also killed in a drone-related incident at an oil facility. The Guardian cited the Saudi energy ministry as saying the deaths were caused by falling debris after a drone was intercepted. According to The Guardian, the Houthis did not immediately claim either attack.

Riyadh's international airport has been hit in recent deadly attacks attributed to the Houthis. DW reported that it has been targeted 20 times since the start of October.

The US had returned some diplomats to the region in recent months. Many had been withdrawn after the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February. The embassy in Riyadh was attacked or damaged early in that war.

What is disputed

According to Al Jazeera, four US officials told Reuters that US missions in other Gulf states would also order family members to leave. The South China Morning Post, citing US officials who spoke to Reuters, reported plans to withdraw family members from a number of other US missions in the region. The Guardian, citing NBC and AFP, reported that families were being withdrawn from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain. Pigott rejected this. Daily Sabah quoted him as saying: "This is inaccurate." He said the order applies to Saudi Arabia only. None of the officials cited are named.

What each side says

The Guardian quoted Pigott as saying the safety of department personnel and their families is the department's highest priority. Two US officials cited by Daily Sabah said the departures could extend to all mission personnel. Saudi Arabia and the United States say Iran supports the Houthis. Iran denies this, according to DW. The UK will deploy Typhoon jets to Saudi Arabia at Riyadh's request, DW reported. The jets are for defensive purposes only. Egypt's presidency said its military effort to defend Saudi Arabia would not include an attack on Yemen. The reports do not include a response from the Saudi government, the Houthis or Iran to the US order.

Analysis

The order signals heightened US concern for personnel safety in Saudi Arabia. Its wider meaning remains unclear. If unnamed officials are correct, similar steps could follow at other Gulf missions. If the State Department's denial holds, the measure may stay limited to Saudi Arabia. Separate reports of plans to restart strikes on Iran lack official confirmation. President Trump has said he does not intend to restart the war before the 3 November elections. Defensive deployments by the UK and Egypt suggest efforts to contain the conflict. They do not by themselves indicate how it will develop.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.