US diplomats in Saudi Arabia ordered to leave after Houthi attacks kill three
The US state department ordered some US diplomats in Saudi Arabia and the families of government employees to leave the country, citing Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure. The order followed attacks that killed at least three people on Wednesday evening.
US diplomats in Saudi Arabia ordered to leave after Houthi attacks kill three
Wednesday's attacks on airport and oilfield
Two attacks struck Saudi Arabia on Wednesday evening, leaving at least three people dead. Neither was immediately claimed by the Houthis.
- The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority announced that one Saudi resident died in the strike on King Fahad international airport in Dammam. Officials said eight people were hurt and the airport sustained material damage; Flightradar24 reported diverted flights.
- According to the Saudi energy ministry, debris from a drone intercepted over an oil facility in the country's south-east fell and killed two people, with two others injured.
The state department highlighted Houthi attacks on "civilian airports and other critical infrastructure" as the reason for the drawdown. A recent Houthi strike on Riyadh's international airport was the deadliest such attack on the kingdom in years.
Which missions are affected
The departure order applied to the US embassy in Riyadh and its satellite consulates. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said: "The safety and security of department personnel and their families remain our highest priority."
The Riyadh embassy took heavy damage when the US war on Iran began and has since run on a reduced staff; only in recent months had some diplomats started to return.
Reports of wider regional withdrawals
NBC and AFP reported that family members of US embassy personnel were also being pulled out of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain. Pigott called those reports inaccurate and said the state department order concerned leaving Saudi Arabia alone.
Context: war on Iran
Before launching its war against Iran in late February, the US had already told non-essential staff to leave the Gulf. NBC reported the US military has been quietly scaling back its presence at bases across the Middle East; US Central Command said the moves optimize mission readiness.
The New York Times reported the Trump administration was developing plans to restart the war on Iran, and that the US and Israel developed plans for a "short but intensive operation" after defense secretary Peter Hegseth met prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel earlier this week.
Donald Trump said last week the US was looking to knock out Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, a site linked to the country's nuclear program, but said he does not intend to restart the war before the 3 November elections.
According to the state department, the departure order covers Saudi Arabia only, and neither Wednesday attack was immediately claimed by the Houthis.
