U.S. Pulls Staff From Saudi Arabia
Non-emergency American government workers and their families have been ordered out of the kingdom after Houthi missile and drone attacks on airports.
The Riyadh skyline seen from the Diplomatic Quarter, home of the U.S. Embassy, April 2022.Illustration by The Good Times, based on a photo by Thesadcactus / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
American government workers who are not needed for emergencies, and their families, have been told to leave Saudi Arabia because Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure make it unsafe, the embassy said. The order took effect October 23. After the recent missile and drone strikes, American government employees now need special authorization to use any Saudi airport. The embassy warned U.S. citizens in the kingdom to expect possible further attacks, airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions. The fighting between Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition that backs Yemen's government has intensified in recent weeks, opening a new front in the wider U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The order applies to government staff and their families, while the embassy's warnings about attacks, closed airspace and canceled flights apply to every American in Saudi Arabia, whether living there or visiting. The embassy tied its order directly to the recent missile and drone attacks on airports and other critical infrastructure.
The United States ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia, the U.S. embassy in Riyadh said, citing safety risks from Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure. The order took effect October 23.
U.S. government employees in the kingdom now need special authorization to use Saudi airports following the recent missile and drone attacks, the embassy said. It warned American citizens of possible further attacks, airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions.
The fighting between Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government has intensified in recent weeks, opening a new front in the wider U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.