21/10/2026
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21/10/2026
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WASHINGTON, Oct 21: The United States has ordered non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating security concerns over attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement, according to US officials and diplomatic sources.
The US State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel and their family members from its diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported on Wednesday. A diplomatic source separately told AFP that US embassy staff and their families had been ordered to leave the kingdom.
The families of US diplomatic personnel in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain were also reportedly ordered to depart, according to the diplomatic source cited by AFP.
The developments come as Saudi Arabia faces sustained attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthis, raising concerns about the safety of US diplomatic personnel and the possibility of further escalation across the region.
Washington cites growing Houthi threat
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the decision to order departures from Saudi Arabia followed increasing hostilities by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement against the kingdom.
The attacks have included strikes targeting civilian airports and other critical infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions, according to the State Department.
The US Embassy in Riyadh also issued a security alert on Wednesday warning of the possibility of further Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, following recent deadly strikes, including attacks involving Riyadh’s airport, Reuters reported.
US officials have expressed concern that the hostilities could escalate rapidly, increasing the risks facing diplomatic personnel and other American citizens in the region.
The ordered departure is a security precaution intended to reduce the exposure of non-emergency personnel and their families to potential attacks.
Regional diplomatic missions on alert
The reported departure orders involving family members in the UAE, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain indicate that Washington is taking additional precautions across several Gulf and regional diplomatic missions.
However, the State Department’s publicly reported confirmation specifically addressed the departure of non-emergency personnel and their families from Saudi Arabia. The arrangements involving other countries were reported by diplomatic sources, and the same scope of personnel departure was not confirmed for those missions.
The latest measures come amid heightened regional tensions and growing concerns over the security of critical infrastructure, diplomatic facilities and civilian transport networks.
The reports did not establish a specific deadline for all departures or indicate that every US diplomatic employee across the five countries had been ordered to leave.
Washington’s move underscores the seriousness of the perceived threat to its personnel in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom confronts further attacks and the risk of renewed escalation involving the Houthis.
