The United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed the order on Wednesday, October 21, linking it to attacks on civilian airports and other infrastructure. His statement expressly limited the departure order to Saudi Arabia.
Reuters separately reported preparations to withdraw family members from other US missions in the Gulf, citing officials. Those reported plans should not be treated as the same confirmed order.
Meanwhile, limited flights resumed at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Wednesday. AP reported that Saudi carriers were operating services following permission-based reopening arrangements. This does not establish a return to normal airline schedules.
The US embassy’s latest security alert urged extreme caution when using Saudi airports and advised travellers to verify departure information directly with airlines and airports.
The departure instruction concerns designated US government personnel and relatives. It is not an evacuation order for every American citizen in Saudi Arabia, nor confirmation that the embassy has closed.
