US orders diplomatic evacuation from Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi rebel drone and missile attacks.
The State Department has ordered non-essential American diplomats and family members of U.S. government employees to leave Saudi Arabia as deadly attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels raise fears that the regional conflict could rapidly escalate.
The order affects non-emergency personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and satellite consulates, reducing America’s diplomatic presence in one of Washington’s most important Middle Eastern allies.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the decision followed increasingly aggressive Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes against civilian airports and critical infrastructure that have caused casualties and major travel disruptions.