US orders non-emergency staff, families to leave Saudi Arabia
The United States ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia effective October 23 due to safety risks, the US embassy in Riyadh said, citing Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure.
US government employees require special authorisation to use Saudi airports following recent missile and drone attacks, the embassy said on Friday, warning US citizens of potential 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 volatile new front in the wider US-Israeli war on Iran.