The State Department ordered some U.S. diplomatic staff and their family members to leave missions in Saudi Arabia as hostilities between Iran-backed Houthis and the Kingdom escalated.
Middle East on the Boil
Tommy Pigott, spokesperson for the State Department, said the order was limited to “non-emergency” government employees in Saudi Arabia, dismissing reports that similar departures had been ordered at U.S. diplomatic missions across the Middle East.
“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,” Pigott said, pointing to increased hostilities by Yemen’s Houthi fighters.
Reuters reported, citing U.S. officials, that missions in other Gulf states would also be ordering family members to leave.
Another Saudi Airport Attacked
The order comes after Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority reported an attack on King Fahd International Airport in the eastern city of Dammam that killed one person and injured eight others.
The latest attack comes days after a deadly missile strike on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport that killed 12 people, including a U.S. citizen, and injured more than 300. Saudi authorities blamed the Iran-backed Houthis for the attack, calling the strike a “fully-fledged war crime” and vowing a firm response.
President Donald Trump said last week he was considering U.S. involvement in Saudi military operations against the Houthis.
Meanwhile, betting crowd on Polygon (CRYPTO: POL)-based Polymarket priced in a 9% chance that the Houthi forces enter Saudi Arabia by the month-end, and a 33% chance by the end of 2026.
Photo courtesy: Markus Mainka / Shutterstock.com
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