The United States Department of State ordered the departure of nonemergency government employees and their family members from its mission in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The directive comes after an increase in attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement targeting the kingdom.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott addressed the security situation in a social media post on Wednesday. He said Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure. These strikes have caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.
Pigott stated that the safety of department personnel and their families is the highest priority, adding that the administration will continue to take all necessary steps to protect them.
Pigott also commented on earlier reporting regarding diplomatic posts. He said an earlier media report on US plans for the departure of some personnel and family members at US embassies across the Gulf was inaccurate.
Four US officials told the Reuters news agency that US missions in other Gulf states would also be ordering family members to leave.
The US had returned some diplomatic personnel to the region in recent months. Many had been pulled out earlier when Tehran launched attacks on US facilities after the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.
The latest withdrawals follow an escalation of fighting in Yemen, opening another front in the regional conflict triggered by the war. The fighting has snarled global energy trade and hurt Gulf economies.
The US embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert on Wednesday about possible further attacks by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia. The warning followed recent deadly strikes, including an attack on Riyadh’s airport.
The US embassy and a CIA station hosted there came under attack by drones in early March. Those strikes occurred as Iran began launching attacks across the region.
