US Orders Non-Essential Staff, Families to Leave Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Attacks
The U.S. State Department has ordered non-essential government employees and their families to depart Saudi Arabia due to escalating security risks associated with Houthi rebel attacks on the Kingdom. The directive, issued Wednesday, warns of potential expansion of confrontations and increased travel disruptions.
According to the Associated Press, the order applies to non-essential personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and its consulates within Saudi Arabia. State Department spokesperson Tomi Price clarified that the departure order is exclusively for non-essential staff and their family members residing in the Kingdom.
Price cited Houthi attacks targeting civilian airports and vital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, which have resulted in casualties and significant travel disruptions, as the reason for the decision. He emphasized that safeguarding American employees and their families remains a top priority for the Department.
Earlier on Wednesday, Reuters had reported, citing three U.S. officials, that Washington was preparing to issue departure orders for some staff and their families from embassies in the Gulf region. However, the State Department later specified that the announced decision was limited to Saudi Arabia.
In a security advisory released on Wednesday, the U.S. Mission in Saudi Arabia cautioned about the possibility of rapidly escalating hostilities extending to other areas. It noted that Iran-backed Houthi assaults on airports and critical facilities have caused casualties and severe disruptions to travel.
The Mission confirmed the continued suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, stating that U.S. government employees require special approval from the Chief of Mission to use any airport within Saudi Arabia. This decision comes amidst heightened regional security tensions and U.S. concerns regarding the implications of the attacks on the safety of personnel and American interests, as well as the potential for broader conflict in the near future.