WASHINGTON, Oct 21 – The United States has ordered some diplomats and family members of American government employees to leave Saudi Arabia as a series of deadly attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels raises concerns about a further escalation of hostilities across the region. The move comes amid growing threats to civilian infrastructure, renewed attacks involving drones and continued disruption to air travel, including at Riyadh’s main international airport.
The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that non-essential personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and its satellite consulates had been ordered to depart the country. The decision reflects Washington’s concerns about the deteriorating security situation as Saudi Arabia faces repeated attacks and the possibility of additional strikes on strategically important facilities.
The departure order applies to certain diplomatic personnel and eligible family members rather than the entire U.S. diplomatic presence in Saudi Arabia. However, it underscores the risks facing American officials as tensions involving Iran and its regional allies continue to affect security across the Gulf.
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh had already suffered significant damage at the beginning of the Iran war, forcing operations to continue with a reduced staff for months. Some diplomats returned in recent months, but the latest security measures indicate that Washington remains concerned about the ability to protect personnel amid the renewed threat of attacks.
In a new travel alert, the State Department warned that Iran-supported Houthi forces had carried out hostile actions against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure. The department said the incidents had caused civilian casualties and serious disruptions to travel, adding that the fighting could expand rapidly beyond the areas already affected.
The warning follows several similar alerts issued in recent days. Those notices have highlighted the risks posed by the Houthis and imposed additional restrictions on U.S. government personnel traveling through Saudi airports. American officials have been instructed to obtain special permission before using any airport in the kingdom, reflecting concerns about the possibility of further attacks on aviation facilities.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been among the sites targeted by the Houthis. The airport had remained closed since Oct. 10 following a major attack, disrupting domestic and international travel at a time when the kingdom was already facing heightened security pressures.
Some flights resumed Wednesday, however, offering a limited sign of progress after more than a week of disruption. Aircraft operated by a small number of Saudi airlines took off from and landed at the airport, two days after Saudi aviation authorities informed airlines that operations could restart with advance authorization.
The partial reopening has not yet restored normal international connections. Major European carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, have canceled flights to Riyadh through the middle of November as concerns about the security environment continue to affect airline decisions.
Saudi carriers, including Saudia and FlyNas, were among the airlines operating flights on Wednesday. Their return to the airport suggests that limited services can continue under the revised arrangements, although the situation remains uncertain for passengers and airlines planning international journeys.
The Houthis have acknowledged carrying out an attack on King Khalid International Airport. The group claimed that Saudi Arabia had used the facility to provide military equipment to government forces fighting in Yemen, but it did not provide evidence supporting that allegation.
The airport’s targeting has heightened concerns because of its importance to Saudi Arabia’s transportation network. Any prolonged interruption to its operations could affect passengers, commercial activity and connections with international destinations. The latest U.S. travel warnings also indicate that Washington considers the threat to civilian aviation significant enough to warrant additional precautions for its personnel.
Security concerns extend beyond Saudi Arabia. The State Department said U.S. embassies in other Gulf countries would also experience temporary staffing adjustments, although the departure order announced Wednesday was specifically directed at personnel in Saudi Arabia.
American diplomatic missions elsewhere in the Gulf are already operating under restricted conditions that limit the number of staff permitted to work at their facilities. These measures reflect the broader impact of the regional conflict, which has placed diplomatic sites, transportation infrastructure and energy facilities under increased pressure.
The latest developments coincided with reports of additional drone activity inside Saudi Arabia. The kingdom’s Energy Ministry said debris from an intercepted drone killed two people and injured two others at an oil field operated by Saudi Aramco in the country’s southeastern region.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of the kingdom’s energy infrastructure as attacks and attempted attacks continue. Saudi Arabia is a major global oil producer, and threats to its production facilities can raise concerns about the security of supplies and the potential for wider economic consequences.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis also reported that the group launched five drones toward Saudi Arabia early Wednesday. According to the coalition, air defenses intercepted and destroyed the drones over the holy city of Madinah and the Eastern Region.
The reported interceptions suggest that Saudi air defenses remain actively engaged in countering the latest threats. Nevertheless, the deaths and injuries reported at the oil field demonstrate that the risks associated with drone attacks remain serious, even as authorities attempt to prevent incoming aircraft from reaching their intended targets.
The attempted strikes are part of a renewed period of fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis that intensified in mid-July. Since then, the kingdom has faced a succession of security incidents, increasing pressure on authorities to protect civilian areas, critical infrastructure and international transportation links.
The latest American diplomatic withdrawal order comes as Saudi Arabia attempts to maintain essential services while responding to the threat of further attacks. The partial resumption of airport operations has provided some relief, but flight cancellations by major international airlines and continuing security warnings indicate that normal travel conditions remain far from assured.
For Washington, the decision to remove non-essential personnel reflects a precautionary approach to an increasingly volatile environment. The United States has not ordered all diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia, but the reduction in staffing, combined with restrictions affecting American missions elsewhere in the Gulf, signals the seriousness of its concerns.
With the Houthis continuing to claim responsibility for attacks and Saudi authorities reporting additional drone threats, the risk of further escalation remains a central concern. The coming days will be important in determining whether airport operations can expand, whether international airlines will reconsider their suspensions and whether Saudi Arabia can prevent additional casualties and damage to its critical infrastructure.