US Orders Departure of Personnel From Saudi Arabia Citing Houthi Threat

The United States Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency government employees and their family members from its mission in Saudi Arabia as attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement on the kingdom have ramped up.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a social media post on Wednesday: 'Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.'

Pigott added: 'The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them.'

At the same time, Pigott 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'.

However, four US officials told the Reuters news agency that US missions in other Gulf states would also be ordering family members to leave, suggesting the departure process may not be limited to Saudi Arabia alone.

The US had returned some diplomatic personnel to the region in recent months after many were pulled out 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 conflict 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 after recent deadly strikes, including on Riyadh's airport.

The embassy and a CIA station hosted there came under attack by drones in early March, as Iran began launching attacks across the region, according to the report.

The order comes at a moment when the United States is publicly expressing concern about the risk of attacks targeting Saudi Arabia's airports and critical infrastructure. By citing civilian casualties and travel disruptions, Washington has made clear that the precautionary step is driven by personnel safety.

It remains to be seen how widely family members are ordered to leave US missions in other Gulf states and whether the Houthi threat recedes. When normal diplomatic presence returns will depend on how the situation develops.