US orders non-emergency staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks escalate
The State Department cited rising Houthi hostilities against the kingdom, including strikes on civilian airports, as the US embassy in Riyadh warned of possible further attacks.
The United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave its diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia, citing a sharp increase in attacks on the kingdom by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced the order on Wednesday in a social media post. He said the Houthis had increasingly carried out hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure that had caused civilian casualties and disrupted travel. He added that the safety of staff and their families was the department's highest priority.
Need your university transcripts?
Studying or working abroad? FACTS gets your official transcripts and documents for WES, ECA, IQAS and universities worldwide, without you visiting the campus.
Wider Gulf drawdown unclear
The US embassy in Riyadh separately issued a security alert warning of possible further Houthi attacks. Reports differed on whether the order extends beyond Saudi Arabia. Reuters, as cited by Al Jazeera, quoted US officials as saying missions in other Gulf states would also ask family members to leave, while the State Department described an earlier media report about pulling staff from embassies across the Gulf as inaccurate.
The move follows a run of deadly Houthi strikes on Saudi territory in recent days, including attacks affecting Riyadh's airport. Fighting in Yemen has escalated in recent months, and the conflict has become another front in the regional crisis that followed the US-Israeli war with Iran earlier this year.
Allies step in
Several countries have signalled support for Riyadh. Britain has deployed fighter jets to help defend the kingdom, and French President Emmanuel Macron made an unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Iran, which backs the Houthis financially, denies involvement in the strikes and has warned against foreign intervention in Yemen.
Why it matters for India
Saudi Arabia hosts one of the largest Indian expatriate communities in the world and is a major supplier of crude oil to India. Any further escalation threatens air links, remittances and energy prices. Indian nationals in the kingdom are advised to follow updates from the Indian embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah.
Hiring? Screen before you sign
Education, employment and identity checks for companies of every size, by an ISO-certified screening team.
Related stories
WorldPutin agrees in principle to resume three-way Ukraine talks after meeting US envoy Witkoff
After roughly three hours of talks in St Petersburg, the Kremlin said Russia was ready in principle to restart negotiations with the US and Ukraine, possibly in November. Moscow also freed a 74-year-old American held for over four years.
WorldQatar says US-Iran talks are still going on as Hegseth meets Netanyahu in surprise Israel visit
Doha insists indirect contacts to end the seven-month war continue despite public scepticism in Tehran, while the US defence chief held talks with Israel's prime minister a week before Israeli elections.
WorldAt least four dead as torrential rain and floods hit eastern Spain; over 400 rescued in Valencia
Flash floods swept away cars and cut off residents in the Valencia region, where authorities told around 100 municipalities to stay indoors.