U.S. Embassy Orders Non-Emergency Staff and Families to Depart Saudi Arabia
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U.S. Embassy Orders Non-Emergency Staff and Families to Depart Saudi Arabia

Summary

The U.S. embassy in Riyadh instructed non-essential government employees and their dependents to leave Saudi Arabia by Oct. 23, citing heightened security risks from recent Houthi attacks.

The U.S. embassy in Riyadh announced on Friday that non-emergency government personnel and their family members must depart Saudi Arabia no later than Oct. 23. The directive follows a series of missile and drone strikes by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces targeting civilian airports and other critical infrastructure in the kingdom.

U.S. officials said employees now need special authorization to use Saudi airports, warning of possible additional attacks, airspace closures, flight cancellations and related travel disruptions.

The embassy’s warning comes amid an escalation in fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition that supports Yemen’s government, a development the United States says could affect regional stability.

Source

Reuters

First reported

U.S. State Department orders diplomats and families to leave Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

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