US orders embassy staff, families to leave Saudi Arabia amid deadly Houthi attacks

The United States has ordered non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia following escalating attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

According to Vanguard, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the evacuation order on Wednesday, citing growing security threats across the kingdom.

Pigott clarified that the directive applied to “non-emergency US government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only”.

He stressed that “the safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority”.

The announcement followed repeated Houthi attacks targeting Saudi infrastructure, including airports and oil facilities.

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed Wednesday that falling debris from an intercepted drone targeting the Shaybah oilfield killed two foreign workers.

“The attempted attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals, a Filipino and a Nepali, and injuries to two others,” the ministry said.

The developments follow renewed hostilities after Yemen’s four-year truce collapsed in June.