US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia Ordered to Leave as Houthi Attacks Hit Airports and Oil Sites

Washington has ordered non-essential US embassy staff in Saudi Arabia and their families to leave after near-daily Houthi attacks on airports and oil facilities. The order applies to Saudi Arabia only.

The United States has ordered non-essential US embassy staff in Saudi Arabia and their families to leave the country, the State Department said on Wednesday. The kingdom is under sustained and deadly attack from Yemen's Houthis, who are backed by Iran. This report sets out what the order says, what has happened on the ground and what it means for travellers and residents in the Gulf.

Why US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia Were Ordered to Leave

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott explained the measure in a social media post. "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," he said.

He added: "The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority."

What the State Department Said About US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia

• The order covers non-essential embassy staff and their families
• It was announced by the State Department on Wednesday
• Pigott stressed that the order is for non-emergency embassy staff and their families in Saudi Arabia only
• The reason given is attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure, civilian casualties and severe travel disruption

Official travel information is published by the US State Department and the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Does the Order for US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia Cover the UAE?

No. The formal order applies to Saudi Arabia only. However, a diplomatic source in the Middle East told AFP that some families of US embassy personnel were also being withdrawn in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain. That account is from an unnamed source and has not been confirmed by the State Department, which limited its announcement to Saudi Arabia.

The Attacks Behind the Order for US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has come under near-daily attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis this month. The latest events reported include:

• A strike on Riyadh's international airport earlier this month, described as the kingdom's deadliest in years
• An attempted drone attack on an oil facility on Wednesday, in which falling debris from the interception killed two people and injured two others. The Saudi energy ministry said the dead were a Filipino and a Nepali. The drone was aimed at the Shaybah oil field near the UAE border, and the ministry did not say who launched it
• Six drones reported intercepted by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen earlier on Wednesday
• An attack on Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia that killed one person and wounded eight, according to aviation officials

Saudi state news is carried by the Saudi Press Agency, and airport operating information is published by the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

How the Yemen War Reached the Point Where US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia Were Told to Go

In June, a four-year-old truce in Yemen's civil war collapsed, reviving a conflict that dates back to 2014. The Saudi-led coalition has backed Yemen's internationally recognised government since 2015. Since the truce ended, the war with the Houthis has escalated, and the group's attacks on Saudi Arabia have become near-daily this month.

Earlier Orders Affecting US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf

This is not the first time Washington has pulled non-essential staff from the region. The United States previously ordered non-essential staff to leave the Gulf ahead of the start of its war against Iran in late February, and again in July, before President Donald Trump called off a new wave of strikes.

Iran, Hormuz and the Wider War Around US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia

The order comes against a wider US-Iran conflict:

• In late February, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader and senior military commanders
• Iran has attempted to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, demanding that all ships seek its authorisation to cross. In peacetime, the waterway carried around a fifth of the world's oil supplies
• The United States has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports and ships
• Late on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported the sound of explosions in the Karpan area of Sirik, in the southern Hormozgan province overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, breaking a spell of relative calm. The IRNA news agency said local sources had not yet disclosed the nature of the explosions

For earlier developments, read our Middle East war update for October 17.

What US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia Leaving Means for Travellers and Residents

The order concerns US government staff, but the reasons behind it affect everyone in the region. The State Department cited attacks on civilian airports and severe travel disruption.

• If you are flying to or through Saudi Arabia, check directly with your airline and airport for the latest operating information
• If you are a US citizen, read the State Department's current travel advice for Saudi Arabia
• If you are planning a visit, see our Saudi visit visa guide and check the latest conditions before you book
• UAE residents can follow official statements from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

For UAE travel planning, see our Dubai airport guide. For the longer-term picture, read our explainer on Saudi Vision 2030.

What Is Confirmed and What Is Not

• Stated on the record: the State Department's order and Pigott's quotes, the Saudi energy ministry's statement on the two deaths, the aviation officials' report on the Dammam attack
• Reported by an unnamed source: the withdrawal of some embassy families in the UAE, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain
• Not yet explained: who launched the drone aimed at the Shaybah oil field, and the nature of the explosions in Hormozgan province

US Embassy Staff in Saudi Arabia FAQs

What happened to US embassy staff in Saudi Arabia?

The State Department ordered non-essential embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, citing Houthi attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure.

Does the order for US embassy staff in Saudi Arabia apply to other Gulf countries?

The State Department said the order covers Saudi Arabia only. A diplomatic source told AFP that some families were also being withdrawn in the UAE, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain.

Why were US embassy staff in Saudi Arabia ordered to leave?

Because of what the State Department called increasing hostilities by Iranian-supported Houthis, including attacks on airports and other critical infrastructure that caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruption.

Who was killed in the latest drone attack in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi energy ministry said two people, a Filipino and a Nepali, were killed by falling debris after a drone aimed at an oil facility was intercepted. Two others were injured.

The order for US embassy staff in Saudi Arabia to leave shows how seriously Washington is treating the Houthi threat to the kingdom's airports and energy sites. It comes with the Yemen war reignited, a wider US-Iran conflict unresolved and the Strait of Hormuz still contested. Readers should follow official advisories and airline updates, and return to this page for further developments.