Washington directed nonessential staff and relatives to depart Saudi Arabia
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said Friday that the United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia, effective October 23. The embassy cited safety risks, including Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure, and warned U.S. citizens of possible further attacks, airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions.
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The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said Friday that Washington had directed staff members not deemed essential, along with their relatives, to depart Saudi Arabia. The order took effect October 23 amid security concerns, among them Houthi strikes on civilian airports and other vital infrastructure.
The embassy said U.S. government employees need special authorization to use Saudi airports following recent missile and drone attacks. It cautioned U.S. citizens that more attacks could occur and that airspace closures, canceled flights and other travel disruptions were possible.
Fighting between Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s government has intensified in recent weeks, the report said. The conflict has opened what it described as a volatile new front in the wider U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
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Verifier’s note
Reuters reports that the United States ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia over safety risks, and The Jerusalem Post carries the same Reuters report. The order was reported on October 30, although it was effective October 23.